By Washington, DC
January 29, 2009

Mayors came to our 77th Winter Meeting to see and hear their new President, our 44th, Barack Obama be inaugurated.

As they left their cities to travel to our meeting, a mammoth economic recovery stimulus measure was being unveiled.

There was excitement over our new President who campaigned and vowed Hope and Change.

Underneath the gaiety, there was apprehension over our national economic situation, which hits so many cities, and the main streets of America, harder than others. The unemployment numbers continue to rise with layoffs in the thousands and bankruptcy being mentioned as a possibility for some of the giants of American business.

To some mayors, where joblessness has prevailed for so long, the bad news to other cities was not news to them. For years, the Conference of Mayors has called for a national metro-urban policy to make adjustments for hard hit areas.

In January of 2009, it wasn't just a few hard hit cities; it was hitting them all and all mayors were worried.

As the curtain was rising at the opening of our 77th Winter Meeting, the multi billion-dollar stimulus package was unveiled by the House Appropriations Committee. It brought good news to alleviate the concern they had as they entered our Winter Meeting.

Furthermore, our leadership mayors at our opening press conference, led by our President, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, and others, signaled that a new era of partnership where a new President, a new White House, a new Congress would work with governors, county officials, and mayors to do what needs to be done now to get us out of this tragic economic quagmire.

Mayor Diaz brought the good feelings from private meetings we have been having with the Obama Transition Team. Indeed, early on there was concern as to whether or not the new President and his team would bring forth initiatives that would be balanced to include direct funding to all local governments. President-elect Obama had met with governors. The media had emphasized over and over the cash strapped states. And little was mentioned of our cities.

It is to the mayors' credit that they and Conference staff turned the economic recovery legislation with some tilt backs toward the cities and our great metro areas.

Mayor Diaz and other leaders came to Washington, went to Chicago, came back to Washington and went to other sites making the case for direct city funding.

As the mayors gathered for the opening Plenary Session, they heard the Obama team, the new White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, calling on the troops before him to do it right and not mess it up. His hand of partnership was there and his hand of warning too. His tone was perfect for this historic moment when the eyes of the nation will be counting on our White House, mayors and cities to create the good jobs that are needed.

Then came Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama. She is "of Chicago." She has worked with Mayors Washington, Sawyer, and Daley. She knows what it is like to have a federal government that is devoid of an Urban-Metro Urban Policy, a state government that ignores the need for balanced transportation programs. We are fortunate to have her as our team leader and coach for the local government presence in the White House with our new President.

We also heard from Cecelia Muñoz, who will be our Director for Inter-Governmental Relations. Muñoz comes with a strong understanding of politics and policy. You need them both in that job. She continues to show a broad understanding of who we are and where we all need to be as we go forward to implement the economic recovery legislation that will soon be signed by the President.

As U.S. Mayor goes to press, we are informed that David Agnew of Charleston, who has worked with Mayor Joe Riley as a staffer and partner on a number of issues, will be the mayors' liaison person in the White House.

We leave the Winter Meeting and we are still in the eye of the storm. The House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, totaling $819 billion. The Senate will act next week. The President signs it. It's the law. The legislative process ends and our work begins.

Facing local government and mayors is the challenge of a century before us. Will we rise up above the partisan bickering and naysayers in Washington and all over the TV world, and prove once more that cities, when called upon, will deliver? Many of you know of our defining moments. It all started back in 1932 when a band of mayors joined with the fearless one, Franklin Roosevelt. This organization was born of that jobless, economically devastated era called "The Great Depression." Together the mayors of yesteryear worked with their new President to move toward recovery.

Today, this young President, Barack Obama, calls on us once more and we are ready.

Mayors welcome this challenge, this opportunity to be a part of the solution to this national economic crisis. As we go forward, I know that our President Mayor Manny Diaz needs your continued support. Together, our headquarters staff will work with you to get this legislation to the Oval Office for President Obama's signature. And then, we will work, and work, and work to get the job done.