Washington, DC
August 3, 2012

Conference President Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter brought mayors to his great city of Philadelphia last week to forge a bipartisan agenda directed at the Presidential Candidates President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney.

This is the first Leadership meeting of the Conference since Mayor Nutter became our President in June. The Nutter leadership style is to bring the mayors to the table to develop and own an action agenda as we go through the challenges before us. To put it in simple terms, the mayors very much-appreciated Mayor Nutter encouraging and pushing them to talk, and talk they did.

Conference staff had worked with key mayors developing a draft action agenda titled “Building a Better America.” It was a detailed paper and the majority of mayors felt it had to be streamlined and condensed focusing on our main priorities. So it is back to the redrafting we go to produce a more condensed document that is accepted by both Republican and Democratic parties.

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, our Republican Vice President, feels that we have a right to push for sound and smart infrastructure investments. He continues to say that there are investments that we cannot afford not to make if we are to be competitive with other nations. Mayor Smith also says that cities drive the national economy and mayors are essential partners with the business community and the federal government to strengthen our economy.

It is very difficult to determine how we are going to get any substance or metro infrastructure issues discussed in the Presidential campaign.

If you live in a swing state, the political ads are driving you crazy and the handlers are not designing ads about traffic, water and energy. Its all about Governor Romney's tax deductions and President Obama sending the stimulus money to foreign countries. It's ridiculous.

But we are trying. This past weekend Conference President Nutter as a drafting member of the Democratic Party Platform went to Minneapolis to hear citizens talk about the real issues before the American people. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson testified on behalf of the Conference of Mayors. He carried our message and got good press, and we need more. He focused on three issues, public education, infrastructure (which includes transportation, water and energy) and public safety.

There was a time when the party platforms meant more than they do today. But, still we have to put our message forth now if we are going to have any impact on the three Presidential debates and one Vice Presidential debate that will take place all in October.

President Nutter has announced that we must have strong partners as we go forth with our action agenda through the Presidential campaign, the transition to inauguration and the forming of a new Congress.

This past week Mayor Nutter joined with the National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial at the NUL's Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Mayor Nutter, before the plenary session, called on the National Urban League to join with The United States Conference of Mayors to work together for an infrastructure investment agenda to build a better America. Mayor Nutter was well received in New Orleans and there will be follow-up meetings between USCM and NUL as we go forward.

We have sent out a questionnaire to all mayors to determine if you are attending the Republican Convention in Tampa, Florida August 27–30, or the Democratic Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina September 4–6. We are planning events at both and we want you to let us know if you are attending so we can include you in our activities. So please follow-up and get that information to us.

Our Fall Leadership meeting on developing next generation leadership in cities through workforce development will be held in Dallas, Texas September 23–24. Mayor Mike Rawlings is working closely to design a dynamic meeting. In addition to skills gaps and workforce issues, the Dallas meeting will have a component on security as it relates to stadiums with a tour of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium and attendance of the Tampa/Dallas game. We will send out a leadership meeting memo soon. Please come to Dallas, the workforce skills gap issue is a top issue of our organizations as mayors work with us to build a better America. If you have any questions about reservations or attendance, please call Carol Edwards at 202-293-7330 or e-mail at cedwards@usmayors.org.