July 12, 2002

After the high security alert for cities, counties and states throughout America, thanks to the local and state officials working with federal law enforcement, we survived the first Independence Day after September 11 without incidents except for the tragic shooting at the El Al ticket counter at the Los Angeles Airport. Millions were spent on this alert; it's difficult to assess what it cost state, county and city governments throughout America. The point is that overall it was a victory over the terrorist threat that we live under since 9/11 and state and local law enforcement are to be commended.

The July 4, 2002 national alert is another reason Congress and the White House should listen to the mayors, police chiefs and other local officials when they say that police monies must be provided and distributed directly to local governments as we continue to foot the bill for national alerts in our national effort to prevent further terrorist incidents.

As to the Los Angeles incident, it puts the question of airport security even more up front as many people say guns should be checked at the door of any airport. In this country where guns are so prevalent and are owned by so many and regulated by different states and regions in different ways, that is easier said than done.

It has not been too long ago that we were having school shootings on an almost bimonthly schedule. At that time mayors and police chiefs led the way in holding public forums, meetings with former President Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno to stop the guns from coming into our schools. While it is difficult to keep the guns out of cars and the hands of children and others around schools and school premises, the question of checking the millions who enter airports is another question. It is about common sense gun safety. And even now there is a divided opinion in Washington about whether or not pilots should have guns in the cockpits. While the Israeli spokesman in Los Angeles said it was in his opinion a terrorist attack, others disagreed andAs with school shootings and the sporadic violence we had in the late nineties so much of the press centers on why he or she would commit such an act. Not enough is centered on how and where the person got the gun. Guns will continue to be used to kill people in this country because of our culture and our decision to permit people to own them. Let us hope though we could at least continue at some point the national discussion on the need for common sense gun safety laws Ñ safe and secure away from children, criminals and persons with some medical or criminal record of violent behavior. Until this, the spotlight and the dime are on us to stop the gun killings and to pay for stopping the killings.

As with school shootings and the sporadic violence we had in the late nineties so much of the press centers on why he or she would commit such an act. Not enough is centered on how and where the person got the gun. Guns will continue to be used to kill people in this country because of our culture and our decision to permit people to own them. Let us hope though we could at least continue at some point the national discussion on the need for common sense gun safety laws Ñ safe and secure away from children, criminals and persons with some medical or criminal record of violent behavior. Until this, the spotlight and the dime are on us to stop the gun killings and to pay for stopping the killings.

Mayors and police chiefs and our 680,000 police officers will continue to grapple with the question of guns _ every day and every night. But politically at the present time the gun issue - how guns should be regulated _ is off the table. With the current atmosphere of international terrorism, many law abiding individuals feel safer with guns in their possession and as we head into the national Congressional elections, there is no resolve here in Washington on the gun question.

Mayors and police chiefs have been advocating common sense gun safety legislation for over 40 years since President Kennedy was murdered in 1963 and Senator Robert Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King were murdered in 1968. Since then President Ford missed bullets, President Reagan was shot and the Pope was shot. Gun killings continue every week. Loopholes allow guns to be sold at gun shows and out of the trunks of automobiles. And when a gunman does what he did at the Los Angeles Airport on July 4, the public for a fleeting moment demands that we _ local officials _ stop the guns from coming into our airports.

Overall, we did one incredible job on July 4 and it is amazing that it is not worse when we all know how many guns are out there for so many that should not have them. We will continue to do our best and it's not easy. Let us hope that Congress and the White House will at least not take away the police monies we have had to deal with street crime and deranged individuals of a violent and killing nature.

Corporate America

With the recent serious problems confronting corporations like Enron, Washington has taken a partisan-like war atmosphere. Leading Democrats jumped immediately to try to link the Administration to the scandals. President Bush announced his corporate reform proposals. Now some leading Democrats are coming in behind President Bush to "strengthen" his proposals. Every day there is another facet to this issue. It gets most confusing because old stories and actions are dredged up that show that what many people were doing in the 90s boom was legal. The recent scandals though have caused the ethical norms to change in the minds of the average voter. Day after day Americans trying to meet their mortgages, pay for their cars and children's tuition are hammWe were most pleased to hear from Mr. Tom Donohue, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, when he addressed us on the recent scandals. Appearing in Madison at our Annual Meeting, he warned that we should weed out the bad guys, prosecute them, and keep our corporations and businesses strong. We shouldn-t kill a successful thriving business of innocent salaried workers and let them suffer because of bad executive decisions at the very top.

We were most pleased to hear from Mr. Tom Donohue, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, when he addressed us on the recent scandals. Appearing in Madison at our Annual Meeting, he warned that we should weed out the bad guys, prosecute them, and keep our corporations and businesses strong. We shouldn-t kill a successful thriving business of innocent salaried workers and let them suffer because of bad executive decisions at the very top.

This hot issue comes front and center in the hot summer of Washington right before Congressional elections. It seems we have heard this same song at some time before. But this issue seems to have taken hold here in the federal city and unfortunately for mayors and cities it may dominate the scene more than some of the issues which seem to be fleeting moments of hysteria. Key to the "political legs" of the issue are investors who want answers and reforms now.

It's about money and the competitive nature of our capitalist country. Former President Clinton embraced the business community and the mayors were there too all through the boom of the 90s. We know that we must have strong businesses which help make strong cities and a strong nation. Reforms are needed but it is difficult when some of the business community do not support it.

The corporate scandals and the most partisan atmosphere it is creating at the present time and near future come at a time when Conference President Thomas M. Menino is leading a national effort to get us more focused on the basic domestic issues of the day such as affordable housing, smarter transportation, keeping street crime down and helping working families. We will work harder to do what we can to not let the corporate scandal atmosphere here in Washington cause Congress and the Administration to not focus on the basic domestic needs of our cities where urban and suburban citizens live and work every day.

Boston Leadership Meeting - July 24-26, 2002

In Boston, July 24-26, Conference President Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino will lead a special session on key priorities as he works with mayors and staff to develop our work plan for the coming year. His vision and effort, as he enunciated in his mayoral speech at our 70th Annual Meeting in Madison last month, are to develop a national work plan of action around key priorities that were emphasized by our membership in our business sessions at our Madison Meeting. Conference President Menino is developing a national housing plan of action that will involve all mayors in every region. Once the plan is finalized at our Leadership Meeting in Boston, we will communicate directly with all members as to how they can help our new USCM President as he goes In addition to housing, a work plan for school reform and the mayor's role will be developed and you will be able to plug in and participate on this issue in the coming months.

In addition to housing, a work plan for school reform and the mayor's role will be developed and you will be able to plug in and participate on this issue in the coming months.

Overall issues affecting working families will take a new focus as we move past the 9/11 atmosphere to bring the domestic issues that affect families to the forefront.

Transportation - the renewal of TEA-21 plus the future of our national rails system, Amtrak, is on our Agenda.

And it goes without saying that the homeland security issues, transportation safety and security, federal-local law enforcement communications and resources and the FEMA related as well as bioterrorism issues will also be a topic for the special session in Boston.

A special "Lobby Day" for mayors on Thursday, September 26 is being planned. We will need mayors here in Washington to "help" Congress focus on our agenda before they let the "inside the beltway" issues take hold.

Our goal is to have our plan of what we are going to do this year back out to our members before Labor Day. As Mayor Menino said in Madison, we will work in the summer so we can be ready for Congress when they return for action in September.

Our Boston Leadership Meeting is most important. We will provide all members the schedule and action agenda for the coming year. We need your help as we move forward.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Boston soon.