By Larry Jones
June 28, 2010

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, speaking at the June 14 closing session, thanked mayors for helping the Census Bureau achieve a high mail-back participation rate in the 2010 census. According to the Bureau, 72 percent of American households mailed back their census form as of April 27. This matches the 2000 census mail-back participation rate although many had predicted that it could not be done. "Thank you for the tremendous help many of you provided…without America's mayors reaching out to their communities and hammering home the importance of the Census, we could not have been successful as we were," he said.

Locke spent most of his time discussing how the White House and the Commerce Department are working to improve the economy and promote economic growth in local communities. He told mayors he understood their concerns and the unique challenges they face: high unemployment, home foreclosures, and skittish investors and business owners. He explained that while a lot has already been done to address these problems, like President Barack Obama, he understands that real recovery will not be complete until people feel it in their own lives.

He said, "We will not be able to reverse overnight two devastating years of recession—a period during where we lost 8 million jobs." However, aggressive steps taken by the Obama administration to stabilize the financial system, to keep people in their homes, and to pass the Recovery Act have helped turn the economy around. As a result, jobs in the private sector are nearly a half million higher than they were in December 2009. "An economy that was shrinking by six percent a year ago is finally growing," he explained.

As the nation emerges from the recession, Locke said he is convinced we must build a new, stronger foundation for growth and prosperity by investing in: the skills and education our citizens need to better compete in the world; a 21st century infrastructure; and research and technology such as clean energy that will lead to new jobs and new exports and new industries.

Locke said the administration is working on many fronts trying to rebuild the physical and regulatory infrastructure that businesses need to thrive and create jobs. The recently passed health reform legislation was cited as one of several key steps taken that will help small business thrive. He told mayors the new law, which is expected to reduce health care premiums by over $200 billion over the next three decades and make available $40 billion in tax credits to help four million small businesses cover the cost of employee health insurance, will produce real cost savings and help small businesses become more competitive. Reforming the financial sector and reducing the nation's dependency on foreign oil were also cited as two other important steps that must be taken to help small businesses become more competitive.

In closing, Locke said, "It's time for us to reinvest and refocus on the fundamentals that have made this country great: research, innovation and a culture of entrepreneurship that values risk-taking and discovery. That's what this administration is focused on, and I am confident that the direction we are taking is going to empower our businesses and create more opportunities in towns and cities across America."