Washington, DC
May 1, 2008

Conference President Doug Palmer continues to push our 10-Point Plan to new audiences. This week, Providence Mayor David Cicilline and Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie joined Mayor Palmer and me at Tufts College in an Urban Forum at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.

I had two Hillary Mayors, Palmer and Cicilline and one Obama Mayor, Cownie and it turned out to be a civilized discussion of the real issues facing this country. It went well as I began until I asked Mayor Cownie why he supported Obama and then a man in the audience shouted out “Because he’s smarter than the other two.”

We stayed away from Reverend Wright and sniper fire. But Mayor Palmer had to tell the guy who screamed out that Hillary Clinton had endorsed our 10-Point Plan and Obama hasn’t showed up at any of our meetings to give the mayors his thoughts and vision for America’s cities.

That’s why it is so important to get Senator Obama to come and be with us at our Annual Meeting in June. And Mayor Cownie, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and other Obama mayors are working hard to get him to Miami.

Mayors at the Tisch Policy Forum at Tufts emphasized the need to have a President who cares and is our partner. Mayor Cicilline discussed the devoid and bereft metropolitan, urban and suburban policies of the Bush Administration. Mayor Cicilline expressed the hope that the next President will focus on the strength of our cities as we continue to make our national economy stronger for our cities, our nation and our people.

After the Forum, we had an informal dinner with the board of the school. Many are surprised at how much we are involved in national and international issues.

It made me wonder why we can’t get more mayors on TV during this election for the purpose of talking about what our next President should do in his or her first 100 days and beyond.

I have been saying that the mayors, as a group, are more aligned on the substantive issues with the American people and voters than ever before. The problem is that the press is totally focusing on the more personal issues of each candidate. It is our desire and determination to continue to push the Mayors 10-Point Plan as we go forward into the Democratic and Republican Conventions, the November election and into the Presidential transition period.

Mayor Palmer, Mayor Diaz and Mayor Nickels will forge ahead in a public fashion similar to the great opportunity we had at Tufts this week. And we will proceed to work strategically on our transition action items so that we are ready to work with the President elect and his team once the mudslinging stops. We must have a more adult conversation about how far behind we are on domestic policy and what must be done after President Bush goes to Crawford. It’s rather basic – we just want someone in The White House who will join hands with the nation’s mayors and support the incredible successes we have had even with little help from the federal government. Still, mayors want a President that can partner and work together with them to do more because our nation competes with other nations. The next President must accept the fact that our nation’s mayors are active players who are in the driver seats of our metro economies, and the metro economic engines are driving our national economy.

Mayors are turning their cities around. Through the sharing and learning of best practices within the Conference of Mayors and the business community we are doing our best. With the continued work that gives us the strength to carry on, we await the day when a new President reaches out to work with us. And if they want change, we got it. In fact we are “eat up” with change; they won’t be able to take all the change we are going to give them.

This week, I brought the Conference staff together to being to work on the new transition mayoral policy for our new USA President. We do not shrink from this responsibility and opportunity. The process will be fun, exciting and real. We celebrate your achievements with the same hope and passion that so many of you have for your city and your people. Working with Senators Obama, Clinton or McCain, we will move forward. That’s a given. Lately, it’s been pitiful and a crying shame that your talent and energy was not harnessed and used for the good of the nation. Still we do our best. We drive the nation forward on a number of fronts, recognizing that we need a President in The White House who understands why he or she should work with us because it makes sense and is in the best interest of our country and our people.

We continue to get assurances that our leaders and friends on the Hill, in the House and Senate are making headway as we fiercely support their leadership to secure the $2 billion appropriation for our Energy Block Grant.

There is in Washington a discussion of a supplemental appropriations as well as the second stimulus package. And there is the third way for us to secure funding and that’s through the regular appropriations process. We are not counting any of our options out. We have too much support from Chairpersons in Congress, other leaders and the individual members to let up the continuous pressure you are waging for action and victory.

Do not give up. Don’t listen to the Washington lobbyists, House members and Senate naysayers. Our mission is to get Energy Block Grant funds this year and we have every reason to believe we can do it. Yes we can and yes we will!

Ed continues on the road to recovery at the rehab hospital. Each day, each week he continues to show progress as he recovers from three surgeries following the tragic accident to his neck and back vertebrae. This past week he sent a most encouraging and determined e-mail to the USCM staff. And he and I will be communicating on a regular basis until he is back in the office with us. Your thoughts, prayers and hopes are appreciated.

It’s May. Next month the nation’s mayors will gather for our 76th Annual Meeting. Host Mayor Manny Diaz and his team are working hard to make your meeting meaningful, productive and enjoyable.

Conference President Doug Palmer continues to urge all mayors to pressure the three candidates, Senators Obama, McCain and Clinton to be with us.

It’s the place for you to be too! So register now online at usmayors.org or contact Carol Edwards at 202-861-6747.