By Ron Thaniel
July 12, 2004

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, Chair of the Transportation and Communications Committee, joined with Committee members June 26 to approve resolutions that reaffirmed and strengthen the Conference of Mayors TEA-21 reauthorization policy, declare strong support for Amtrak's national system, and call on the Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration to safeguard the nation's airports, transit systems, and intercity passenger rail.

Leading the discussion on communications, Advisory Board Chair Dearborn Mayor Michael A. Guido, Vice Chair of the Transportation and Communications Committee, detailed the threats that await local government in 2005 with the likely rewrite of the 1996 Telecommunications Act.

"At issue will be a challenge of local governments control of our rights'of-way and taxing authority," said Mayor Guido.

Joining the Dearborn Mayor Michael A. Guido to discuss the threats to cities was Merita Hopkins, Corporation Counsel to the City of Boston and legal advisor to the Cabinet of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

The Transportation and Communications Committee considered and adopted the following resolutions, which were adopted by the Conference of Mayors' full body. The resolutions included the following:

Support Of A Six-Year Well-Funded Metropolitan Focused Reauthorization Of The Transportation Equity Act For The 21st Century (TEA-21) calls for the Administration and Congress to pass a six-year transportation reauthorization bill that funds core highway and transit programs at no fewer than $318 billion, support guaranteed funding for the transit program from the general fund, maintain the ISTEA-TEA-21 Conagestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ) and fund it at the highest levels possible recognizing the growing number of non-attainment areas designated under the 8-hour ozone and fine particulate matter standards, subject State Departments of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations to heightened performance and accountability requirements, and as owners and managers of virtually all of the nation's highways, bridges, and transit systems to suballocate greater surface transportation resources and decision making to metropolitan areas.

Support Of Maintaining Current Transit Formula Balance urges the Administration and Congress to maintain the historical balance in transit formula programs by continuing to allocate 40 percent of transit formula funds for Rail-Mod, 40 percent for New Starts and 20 percent for Bus and Bus Facilities.

Support Of Amtrak's National System And Opposition To The Elimination Of Long Distance Routes urges the Administration and Congress to invest in Amtrak by creating a long-term sustainable federal funding mechanism to provide Amtrak with a fair and consistent source of capital and operating support for intercity and passenger rail, reject efforts to eliminate long-distance routes, break up and privatize Amtrak inter-city passenger rail operations, and urges the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration to take financial and operation responsibility for securing our nation's passenger and commuter rail systems.

Support Of Providing Federal Funding For Paratransit Service urges the Administration and Congress to provide federal funding to public transit systems for the purpose of providing paratransit service as required by the ADA and to increase funding for travel training for disabled and elderly persons on public transit systems in order to increase opportunities for disabled and elderly persons to use accessible mainline systems and to optimally leverage the federal investment in public transportation.

Support Of Increased Funding For Security And Operations Of Public Transit Systems urges the Administration and Congress to provide federal funding immediately and directly to transit agencies and local authorities and for the Administration to include a line item in the budget for transit security.

Creating A Federal Funding Source For "Small Start" Transit Projects urges Congress to create a Federal-funding source to help "small starts"; and urges Congress to modify Federal rules to expedite "small start" projects.

Support Of Creating A "Projects Of National And Regional Significance" Or "Mega-Projects" Category In The Reauthorization Of TEA-21, And Funding It At A Robust Level recognizes that many cities are facing the need to build, rebuild, or repair major segments of their transportation infrastructure to stimulate economic growth, move freight and goods, relieve congestion, and ensure safe travel urges Congress to pass a Projects of National and Regional Significance category with robust funding in the final TEA-21 reauthorization bill.

Support Of Changes To Charter Regulations In The Reauthorization Of The Transportation Equity Act For The 21st Century (TEA-21) urges the Administration and Congress to clarify the charter service regulations to allow public transportation agencies to provide community based service directly to local governments and social service agencies and that consideration be given to the concerns of the largest public transit agencies regarding their capacity to provide such service.

Support Of Promoting Transportation Choices In The TEA-21 Reauthorization Bill urges Congress to increase funding for Transportation Enhancements and other programs that encourage non-motorized transportation alternatives and urges the establishment of a Safe Routes to School Program in the reauthorization of TEA-21.

Support Of Increased Funding For The Transportation Security Administration's Letter Of Intent Program (LOI) calls on Congress and the Bush Administration to appropriate adequate federal funding for LOIs to allow airports to meet the security needs of today's traveling public, fully fund existing LOIs at the Congressional mandated level of 90 percent for large airports and 95 percent for small airports, and support efforts in the United States Senate to increase funding for the LOI program by $150 million a year.

Support Of Increased Metropolitan Planning Transportation Funds In The Reauthorization Of TEA-21 urges the Administration and Congress to increase the metropolitan transportation planning setaside to the highest funding levels.

In Recognition Of The Need For Adequate Federal Screeners At Our Airports This Summer calls on TSA (Transportation Security Administration) to ensure that the appropriate level of screener staff is available at our nations' airports to meet the needs of this summer's traveling public and calls on TSA to work with airports in determining the appropriate number of screeners necessary for each airport.

USCM Surface Transportation Policy Clarification And Affirmation resolves that the United States Conference of Mayors amends its policy platform to call upon the Congress to retain the Borders and Corridors program, to be eligible for funding as a border community, funding would be limited to those located within 50 miles of the U.S. Border.

Resolution In Support Of A Reasonable Increase And Indexing Of The Federal Gas Tax To Meet The Needs Of The Nation's Transportation System supports a reasonable increase and indexing of the federal gas tax to ensure a well-funded and equitability distributed TEA-21 reauthorization bill.