By Ed Somers
October 7, 2002

More than 50 mayors, 40 police and fire chiefs, and key business leaders came to Washington on September 26 for a Mayors Lobby Day focused on the top priorities of America's cities. In meetings with top Congressional and White House leaders, committee chairs and ranking members, and other key Members of Congress, the delegation pressed for action on the issues of homeland security/crime funding, housing, aviation security, Amtrak, job/skills training, and welfare reform.

"Our mayors have come to Washington with two major concerns — homeland security and economic security. We are concerned that more than one year after 9/11, cities have not received any direct funding for homeland security. We are also concerned for the growing number of working families in our cities who are being adversely affected by our sluggish national economy," Conference President Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said in outlining the themes of Mayors Lobby Day.

The call for action on the $3.5 billion first responders money proposed by President Bush was the overarching message of Mayors Lobby Day. In every meeting and press event, the mayors and chiefs pushed for this funding to be provided this year before Congress adjourns for the elections, and that a majority of the funding go directly to local governments. The Conference is strongly supporting legislation sponsored by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY) and nine other Senators to create a Homeland Security Block Grant with direct funding to cities and larger counties.

On Mayors Lobby Day, the entire delegation participated in a White House meeting with Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, Attorney General John Ashcroft, and HUD Secretary Mel Martinez, a press conference on Capitol Hill with Senator Clinton (see story), and a luncheon with Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (SD) and the Senate Democratic Caucus. A delegation of mayors and chiefs also met with Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott (MS) and his leadership team. Also, Conference Advisory Board Chair Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic led a delegation which met with House Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi (CA).

Teams of mayors worked over the course of the day on each of the established priorities, meeting with key members of the House and Senate. A brochure was prepared for the day which outlined the key points in each area (see page 6). These priorities were established by the Conference in a July Leadership Meeting in Boston, and then refined during the September Fall Leadership Meeting in Santa Barbara.

White House: Ridge, Martinez, Ashcroft

Mayors Lobby Day began with a White House meeting for all the mayors, police chiefs, fire chiefs and business council members focused on homeland security and housing. The meeting, which came at the invitation of the White House, featured Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, Attorney General John Ashcroft, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez.

During his open remarks, Ridge stressed the Administration's position that the new Department of Homeland Security must be given management flexibility in dealing with unions. When pressed by the mayors for more flexibility at the local level in dealing with homeland security, Governor Ridge did say that he might support between 10-25 percent of the new first responders funding being used for overtime.

However, on the issue of direct funding, Ridge did not change his position that the funding should be sent through the governors. He did commit to working with mayors on guidelines to ensure that the funding reaches the local level in an expedited manner.

Both Governor Ridge and Attorney General Ashcroft spoke of the continuing need to improve information sharing. General Ashcroft said that much progress is being made through the Joint Terrorism and Anti-Terrorism Task Forces, but that more can be done. He also thanked the mayors for their response to the recent increased threat level.

During his remarks, HUD Secretary Martinez stressed the continued focus of the Administration on homeownership, and referenced a meeting on minority homeownership that HUD will be sponsoring on October 15 in which he said he will want mayoral participation. Secretary Martinez also referred to the changes coming in CDBG as a result of the 2002 census, and said that the Administration is supporting level funding for both CDBG and HOME in FY 2003 — both strong programs with a good track record he said.

Lott, Senate Republican Leadership

Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott hosted an hour-long meeting with a delegation of the mayors and police/fire chiefs participating in Mayors Lobby Day. Joining Sen. Lott was Republican Whip Don Nickles (OK) and Republican Conference Vice Chair Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX).

During the session, Mayor Menino, Conference Vice President James A. Garner of Hempstead and the other mayors and chiefs urged the Republican Leadership to support direct funding to cities, and to ensure that funding is provided this year.

Sen. Nickels expressed concern that the current budget environment will not allow for significant new spending on domestic programs, and in fact could result in spending cuts in some areas.

Senators Lott and Hutchison both expressed their strong support for Amtrak and the need to have a national rails transportation system. Sen. Lott has been working closely on this issue with Mayor John Robert Smith of Meridian (MS), who is also Chair of the Amtrak Board.

Daschle, Democratic Senators Luncheon

"We need a real partnershipÉ" was the message Mayor Menino delivered to the Senate Democratic Caucus during a luncheon on Lobby Day. The luncheon was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (SD), Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee Chair John Kerry (MA) and Democratic Policy Committee Chair Byron Dorgan (ND). Menino urged the Senators to help "break the logjam" so that resources can be provided now, and asked that they move forward on the other key issues like a housing production program.

Sen. Daschle said that it was "an unprecedented meeting" between the mayors and Senators, and that the Congress must ensure that cities get the resources they need in the homeland war against terrorism.

When pushed by Mayor Menino and many of the other mayors on the issue of direct homeland security funding, Sen. Kerry said, "Most of us in our [Democratic] Caucus, absolutely support the notion that we ought to pass Senator Clinton's bill that guarantees those on the front lines get the support they need."

Sen. Kerry also said, "How can it make sense to cut the COPS program when you need to be doing more, hardening more targets in cities."

House Democratic Whip Pelosi

The final meeting of Mayors Lobby Day was with House Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi (CA). As a Member of Congress representing San Francisco, Rep. Pelosi said that she strongly supports city priorities and would help work to see that cities did receive direct resources.

Rep. Pelosi also pledged to work with the Conference to strengthen information sharing related to homeland security.