Washington, DC
January 27, 2005

Mayors came in record numbers to the 73rd Winter Meeting, and to be here for the 2nd Inauguration of President George W. Bush.

It was a time on the occasion of this historic pageantry and celebration that we are thankful to witness the swearing in of our President in our great city of Washington (DC).

This, too, was a solemn occasion and a time for a reaffirmation of action as mayors honored the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in a special session. We heard from Hiroshima, Japan Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba speak eloquently for the disarmament of nuclear arsenals and brought the message of peace as he quoted Dr. King's words warning us that nuclear weapons could indeed annihilate the world.

We also heard National Urban League President Marc Morial challenging mayors to stand up and "claim a place at the table" to protect our domestic programs that are reported to be in danger as we await for a new Congress to dispose of the President's proposed budget.

This was a time when mayors expressed their deepest sympathy and concern to the tens of thousands who died on December 26 due to the Indian Ocean tsunami.

This was a time when our President, Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic led our mayors to pass a special resolution supporting our troops now in a most dangerous position fighting a war in Iraq. Hanging also over our members was the fact that some of our mayors have their own children now in harm's way. And there was hope that the upcoming election in Iraq would bring stability and a way that our troops could disengage after a new government is formed for self-government in Iraq.

Hanging over our meeting also was grave concern that the President's budget might provide recommendations that our keystone domestic program - The Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) - might be proposed to be cut in half. There was frustration because the reports were not confirmed. Mayors had read newspaper reports and they knew their only choice would be to wait and actually see and read and study the President's proposal when the federal budget is released to the public on February 7.

In private meetings, Conference President Plusquellic cautioned mayors to express concern as he gathered consensus urging all to give the President and his advisors the opportunity to present the budget and provide a rationale for budget decisions before any action is taken.

Plusquellic presided over a press conference where mayors and reports all knew that the President's budget might present challenges that might affect millions of our citizens and possibly threaten the budgets and economic health of our cities.

Democratic and Republican mayors left our Winter Meeting knowing that their work is cut out for them in the months ahead as Congress makes the final decisions on the President's budget. Mayors were heartened by the words of support of CDBG by Ohio Senator George Voinovich who said CDBG is the best federal program ever created and he was quite forceful in his statement to the mayors saying he would oppose efforts to harm the CDBG program.

Voinovich urged Plusquellic to work closely with the National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties and the National Governors Association. Plusquellic has been doing just that this year. Since he became our President, he has spent so much of his time bonding and building a coalition on a number of fronts with the NLC and NACo. Washington (DC) Mayor Anthony Williams, President of NLC, and NACo President Lake County (IL) Angelo Kyle both pledge their organization's support to defend and protect the CDBG program.

Since the Winter Meeting, I am moving to meet with Don Borut and Larry Naake the Executive Directors of both NLC and NACo. Other organizations are gearing up also. We will have our forces ready to have a grassroots organization that will be ready to battle if we have to do so. Let us hope the President's budget will not present challenges for us.

Since inception in 1974, after a coalition of state and local officials with President Nixon CDBG has had the support of Democratic and Republican Presidents and every Congress since. Today it stands and enjoys bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, in city halls, in county court houses, in statehouses, in state legislatures, in thousands of nonprofit organizations in our cities and neighborhoods and in the business community of our cities and counties throughout America.

We will issue the clarion call. We will fight — if we have to do so. We can make our case and if the proposed budget reveals what we fear, we will go forth on Capitol Hill to tell the story with lots of help and we must win.

Over the next few weeks we will be doing our best to educate you - the mayors - of the challenge we face.

Mayor Plusquellic will need your support at this critical time and based on the sentiment expressed at our Winter Meeting, I know we can count on you to give us the support we need as we go forth.

We will be receiving the budget document on February 7, Monday. We will immediately give you an accurate report. We hope and pray for the best and we are ready to what it takes to defend and protect the CDBG program. We have no choice.