By Guy F. Smith
February 12, 2007

The Conference of Mayors 10-Point Plan, developed by the Conference leadership before the annual Winter Meeting, was the focus of the Opening Plenary Session.

Conference President Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, paying tribute to the late Dearborn Mayor and Conference President Michael A. Guido who died December 5, said,” Mike was a mayor up until the very end and to be a mayor, you have to be an optimist.”

Palmer said that during December, there was a series of meetings with the leadership and Conference staff. What emerged, he said, was the 10-Point Plan centered around the theme: “Strong Cities… Strong Families… For a Strong America.”

“We want to let Congress know what our domestic agenda is,” Palmer said, urging the assembled mayors to read it carefully, look at it, take it home so they can continue to talk about those things contained in the plan. “I know that new Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will do that as well,” Palmer added.

“The plan is nothing new. We’re talking about the things we work with each and every day. We talk about the need for education; what’s more important in our city than making sure every child is educated?”

“As mayors, we have an excellent opportunity right now as Congress looks at reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act,” he added.

Palmer said one of the central themes of the 10-Point Plan was the security of our cities and homeland security and making certain that mayors have funds for interoperable communications.

“We can’t have homeland security without hometown security. We are asking Congress to restore funds for the COPS program,” he continued.

Other points Palmer addressed:

• The Conference 10-Point Plan proposes creation of a new Energy and Environmental Block Grant modeled after the The Community Development Block Grant program. It would provide direct funding to cities for a variety of programs improving energy efficiency and improving the environment.

• The Conference has put the elimination of poverty at the forefront of the current agenda.

• Health care for all children is a priority.

• Mayors have a role in the Climate Protection agreement and in making sure buildings are energy efficient.

Palmer said mayors were excited and optimistic about the real partnership with Pelosi. He concluded by saying mayors were not coming to Washington with a tin cup and our hat in our hands asking you to save us. “We have some of the brightest mayors in the history of this country. We don’t need our cities to be saved. We need the federal government to be partners with us, and for us to build on our strengths.”