Calling upon the Senate to pass the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, Arts, Culture and Recreation Chair New Orleans Mayor Marc H. Morial called upon mayors to follow him and descend on Washington on either July 11 or 13 to press for Senate passage of parks legislation. Joining him in leading this effort is past Conference president and Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe.

Mayor Ashe also called upon mayors to undertake activities on the first day of summer, June 20, to highlight the need for local parks legislation. Mayor Ashe indicated that he would be calling a special city council meeting that day in one of the city’s neighborhood parks.

Mayor Morial stated at a special plenary session on "A National Conversation on Local Parks" on Sunday morning that it was time for Congress to "redeem the promise" that Congress made over 30 years ago when it passed legislation creating the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In the last ten years, most of the royalties obtained from offshore oil and gas drilling has gone to budget deficit reduction. Mayor Morial challenged the mayors to join him in Washington for a "Million Mayors Mobilization for Parks Legislation".

Stating that the "stars are in the right position" for the first time in a number of years, Mayor Ashe called upon his fellow mayors to send letters and make phone calls to their U.S. Senators urging them to vote for parks legislation. He also urged them to get their state municipal leagues involved in the effort.

Thanking the Conference for its support in getting the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) through the House of Representatives, Representative George Miller stated that "now was the best opportunity to give revenues back to local governments" for parks and recreation programs. Representative Miller, who was one of the chief co-sponsors of CARA, urged the mayors to press the Senate for passage of the legislation which contains the largest commitment of revenues for parks since the 1960s.

Robert Stanton, Director of the National Park Service, stressed the importance of local parks by quoting the late President John F. Kennedy, "When the dust of centuries has passed over cities, we will be remembered for our contributions to our human spirit." He also stated that "parks help provide for that human spirit and help provide for a greater quality of life in our cities." Parks also provide for places of learning. Mr. Stanton also pledged the National Park Services’ help in working with the Conference of Mayors in implementing any parks legislation which may pass Congress this year.

National Association of Counties (NACo) President and Chair of the Council of Howard County, C. Vernon Gray also indicated that passage of the parks legislation was an important goal of NACo. While funding for local parks was also important, Mr. Gray also expressed his organization’s concern about private property rights and federal lands takings.

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