May 24, 2004

Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown has filed papers saying he intends to run for California attorney general in 2006. The May 19 Washington Times reported that Brown filed a required statement of intention to run in 2006 early in May.

The son of former Governor Edward G. "Pat" Brown who was defeated for re-election in 1966 by Ronald Reagan, Mayor Brown was California's Secretary of State before succeeding Reagan as Governor in 1975.

Brown is one of at least four candidates contemplating the run for Attorney General in 2006. The incumbent, Democrat Bill Lockyer, has to leave office because of term limits.

Hialeah (FL) Mayor Raul Martinez is being showcased in national Spanish-language advertising sponsored by The New Democratic network, and targeted to four states with significant Hispanic population: Arizona, Florida, Nevada, and New Mexico.

The ad also feature New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Rep. Bob Menendez (NJ), a former mayor of Union City, New Jersey (1986-1992), before ran for Congress.

Former Republican congressman and mayor of Omaha Hal Daub has taken the reins at American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) in Washington (DC). Daub represented the Omaha area for four terms in the House before serving as mayor for six years until 2001. Since leaving public office, he has been a partner at Blackwell Sanders Paper Martin, a Kansas City based law firm, and has served as chairman of the Social Security Advisory Board, appointed by President Bush in 2002 to a four-year term.

Rockville (MD) Mayor Larry Giammo and his city council have reached out for outside expertise in shaping his city's budget. Rockville's "Mayor for A Day" on May 12 was fourth grade student Kaela Boykin, grand prizewinner of the "If I Were Mayor Contest." With the essay theme built around the theme of what a mayor should do when confronted by shrinking revenues, Kaela's essay won her lunch with the mayor, tours of city facilities and city hall, and a police ride-along with a Community Services Officer. Kaela's winning essay follows:

2004 "If I Were Mayor" Winning Essay

By Kaela Boykin

If I Were Mayor and had less money, I would try to make my city safer so people will be safer and feel safer. I would reduce trash pickups to one day a week. I-d also raise taxes by one dollar a week to help raise money for the city. To raise money for the annual festival, I-d have a walk-a-thon because people would know where and how the money was being used. I-d also stop leaf removal except for elderly people. I would ask companies for donations at the festival.

I would encourage more recycling so my city could buy goods more cheaply because they were recycled goods. I-d also ask for volunteers to help with the park maintenance. I would talk to people around the city and ask for volunteers to help make benches out of recycled material. I-d also encourage businesses to help hold a lottery to help raise money for the festival. I would also try to attract new businesses and new people to come to my city. I would have a flea market twice a month to be able to buy traffic cameras and I would increase fines for traffic violations to make the streets safer. I-d also hold a referendum to ask the community if they wanted a smaller festival or an increase in fines for violations throughout the city. If the city voted for a smaller festival, I would have less rides and more booths.

I think I would be a good mayor for my city.

Franklin (TN) Mayor Miller Among 20 Recipients of Preserve America Community Award

Franklin (TN) Mayor Tom Miller traveled to Washington (DC) March 18 to receive the certificate of designation as a Preserve America Community. The certificate was signed by First Lady Laura Bush. "We are very thankful to the citizens who played a part in us winning this award," stated Miller.

The Preserve America initiative is a new White House effort to advance and support community efforts for the preservation and enjoyment of America's priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the initiative include: a greater shared knowledge about the nation's history; increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets and, support for the economic vitality of our communities. The Bush Administration's fiscal year 2005 budget contains a request for grant funds, which would be available for eligible communities meeting the Preserve America criteria. These matching grants would be given to projects that preserve and utilize vital historic resources for support of heritage tourism and other economic revitalization projects.

Franklin is one of twenty communities nationwide who have been awarded this designation. Other communities that were presented the Preserve America Awards include: Four Mississippi cities: Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Pascagoula, and Port Gibson; three Rhode Island cities: Bristol, Cranston, and Warren; three Michigan cities: Douglas, Grand Rapids, and Saugatuck; two Virginia cities: Smithfield, and Williamsburg; Burlington (VT), Cheyenne (WY), Fort Myers (FL), Fresno (CA), Rock Island (IL), Virginia City (MT), and White Mountain Apache Tribe (AZ).