Remarks to the National League of Cities
Thursday, December 2, 2005
Indianapolis, Indiana

Good morning.

Thank you Mayor Williams for that kind introduction. You have been a strong member of both the NLC and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and I look forward to working with you as President.

I also want to thank all of you for inviting me to participate in your Annual Meeting. Our two organizations have a long history of partnership and working effectively together.

Recognize:

• NLC President Charlie Lyons (add personal points…)
• Second Vice President Jim Hunt of Clarksburg, WV,
• Host Mayor Bart Peterson (great job…), and
• Executive Director Don Borut, who works closely with our Executive Director Tom Cochran.

I am very proud of the cooperation between the Conference of Mayors and the NLC -- along with the National Association of Counties -- to promote our bi-partisan priorities during the 2004 presidential campaign. 

We used every opportunity to focus media and political attention on the need to:

• create jobs,
• improve crumbling infrastructure,
• increase public safety, and
• reduce unfunded mandates.

But let's be honest.  Despite our best efforts, our issues never rose to the top of the discussion during the debates or in the campaigns of either candidate. So, now we must work even harder.

I have been Mayor for over 18 years now, and have been in city government for over 30 years, so I know that victories do not often come quickly or without great effort.

We must continue to oppose efforts to impose new unfunded mandates on cities, such as MTBE liability protection, or limits on our ability to manage communications activities in cities.

We must continue to support key investment tools such as the Community Development Block Grant that Congress just cut by $360 million.

And we must continue to build stronger partnerships with the Business Community to support economic investment and tax incentives to redevelop brownfields, promote public and private infrastructure development, grow more small businesses, and create good jobs. 

Business leaders understand the importance of metro economies, and we must leverage their support for shared priorities.

I strongly believe that there is much we can accomplish in Washington.  For example, President Bush has stated his commitment to work on key issues related to brownfields redevelopment, homeownership and homeland security. 

Ohio Representative Mike Turner is working with Speaker Hastert on a cities task force that is focusing on housing, brownfields redevelopment, and tax incentives.

We have also made good progress on the issue of Homeland Security working with Secretary Ridge and key members of Congress, but there is more to be done to ensure that funding gets to our first responders quickly and in manner we need.

And we must build on our past victory on unfunded mandates by seeking new flexibility to accomplish our goals.

In all of these efforts, we must continue to emphasize that center cities and suburban communities are united in promoting a bi-partisan agenda of metro economic growth that benefits all of our citizens.

What is unique about NLC and the Conference of Mayors is that we come together from small and large cities, Democrats and Republicans, liberal and conservative, to speak with one voice to Congress and the Administration.

I look forward to working with Mayor Williams and the National League of Cities as we continue to promote an agenda for America's cities that helps our economy grow and ensures that our people are safe and secure.