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Since 1933, the Official Publication of The United States Conference of MayorsApril 29, 2013Volume 80, Issue 07U.S.MA YORMenino: We Are One Boston .................... 3Police Chiefs Call Senate Gun Vote a “Disgrace” .... 9Bipartisan Immigration Bill Moving in Senate ..... 13Senate Votes 63–30 to End Filibuster onMarketplace Fairness Act: Vote on FinalPassage Scheduled for May 6By Larry JonesAfter several days of intense debate, the Senate voted63—30 on April 25 to limit debate on the Marketplace FairnessAct (S. 743) and schedule the measure for a final vote on May6. In a significant victory for state and local governments, theSenate will only take two votes on May 6: on the key sponsorsperfecting amendment, and on final passage. This is significantbecause several Senators filed amendments to weaken or makethe bill unacceptable. These will no longer be considered.Once enacted, the Marketplace Fairness Act will establish alevel playing field for businesses on Main Street and those thatsell over the Internet. For the first time, Internet and other remotesellers will be required to collect state and local sales taxes justas businesses on Main Street are required to do so. The Universityof Tennessee estimates that state and local governments willcollect $23 billion annually in taxes on remote sales.During debate on the proposal, many attempts were madeby the Key sponsors of the bill–Senators Richard Durbin (IL),Michael Enzi (WY) and Lamar Alexander (TN)—to get Senatorsto agree to consider amendments and eventually final passageof the measure under a unanimous consent agreement. But theycould not convince opponents of the bill to dispense with delaytactics and procedural roadblocks. As a result a cloture vote wasSee MARKETPLACE on page 12USCM, National Organizations Unite to Save Municipal BondsSee Story on Page 11Mayors, President Clinton Join with ChicagoMayor Emanuel to Explore InfrastructureFinancingBy Debra DeHaney-Howard and Kevin McCartyAt a special meeting of the Conference of Mayors newlyestablishedInfrastructure Financing for Cities Task Force, led byChicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, President Bill Clinton challengedmayors, city financial officers, and private and non-profit infrastructureand financing experts to “figure out the public-privatefinancing of our infrastructure.”See INFRASTRUCTURE on page 4Left to right, Former President Bill Clinton, USCM TaskForce Chair Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, RockefellerFoundation President Judith Rodin, USCM PresidentPhiladelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, UC BerkleyProfessor Laura Tyson, and U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood.

TO THE MAYOR FROM THE CEO AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTORWashington, DCApril 26, 2013Municipal BondsThis past week, I hosted at Conferenceheadquarters a meeting of our coalitionto protect the tax-exempt status of ourmunicipal bonds. Over 40 organizationsattended, and we are now focusingon the Senate Finance Committee andHouse Ways and Means Committee, thetwo Congressional Committees that havejurisdiction. We are also supporting abipartisan House resolution sponsoredby Congressman Neal of Massachusettsand Congressman Terry of Nebraska.The resolution is a public endorsementand recognition of the 100 years, since1913, of infrastructure development. Askyour house Members to sign on to H.Res.112 now.President Clinton and MayorEmanuel – Task Force onInfrastructure FinancingChicago Mayor Rahm Emanuelbrought members of the Conference ofMayors Infrastructure Financing for CitiesTask Force to the headquarters of theU.S. Chamber of Commerce this week.The task force has partnered with theClinton Global Initiative, and PresidentClinton joined mayors and others associatedwith infrastructure financing. This isthe first meeting of the task force as wecontinue to recognize the need for infrastructurefinancing as the federal governmentfails to provide needed federalfunding for today’s American infrastructuredevelopment. Mayor Emanuel andPresident Clinton have invited the USCMInfrastructure Task Force Member Mayorsto be with them for another meeting duringPresident Clinton’s CGI Summit in ChicagoJune 13-14. Another meeting willtake place for further discussion on thisissue during our 81st Annual Conferenceof Mayors in Las Vegas June 21-24.Marketplace Fairness Act -Senate ActionsWe are most pleased with the Senateaction on a top priority for us, the passageof the Marketplace Fairness Act.After delay tactics by Senators Baucus ofMontana, Wyden of Oregon, and Hatchof Utah, the Senate rebuffed them thisweek and they have scheduled a vote forMay 6. We will have over 70 Senatorsvoting in favor of this action, which willfinally provide states and local governmentstax revenue that is not presentlycollected due to remote sales.Las Vegas 81st AnnualMeeting June 21-24We are working closely with Las VegasMayor Carolyn Goodman to produce our81st Annual Conference of Mayors, onethat you will not want to miss. If you havenot registered it’s not too early. You canregister online at: usmayors.org/registrationor call Carol Edwards at 202-293-7330.U.S. MAYORPublisher,Editor-in-ChiefTom CochranISSN 1049-2119Managing Editor:Ed SomersContributing EditorsDavid W. BurnsDebra DeHaney-HowardDavid GattonEvangelina GarciaLarry JonesKathryn Kretschmer-WeylandEugene LoweKevin McCartyTom McClimonGeri PowellJudy SheahanCrystal SwannElena Temple-WebbLaura DeKoven WaxmanJim WelfleyKathy WigginsProduced by Cicuye StudiosProofreader: Lina GarciaAdvertising information:http://usmayors.org/usmayornewspaperadvertise@usmayors.orgU.S. MAYOR (ISSN 1049-2119) is publishedsemi-monthly except for August,September and December by The UnitedStates Conference of Mayors, 1620 I Street,NW, Washington, DC 20006-4005.USCM onthe WEBusmayors.orgTom Cochran, Executive Director.Send address changes by e-mail to:usmayor@usmayors.org.usmayors.orgCHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please e-mailaddress corrections to usmayor@usmayors.org. No telephone calls please.usmayors.orgPage 2 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

Menino:We Are OneBostonBoston Mayor Thomas M. Meninoand Massachusetts GovernorDeval Patrick have announced theformation of One Fund Boston toraise money to help those familiesmost affected by the tragic eventsthat unfolded during Boston’sMarathon and in the relatedevents that followed. To donateonline, go to the websitewww.onefundboston.org.Statement by ConferencePresident Nutter on Bombingsat Boston Marathon, April 15“The thoughts and prayers of thenation’s mayors are with the victims ofyesterday’s senseless bombings at theBoston Marathon, Mayor Thomas M.Menino, and all of the people of Boston.Keeping our citizens and our cities safeis the first responsibility of every mayor.Working with our police and other publicsafety officials we do whatever we can tostay ahead of the next insane thing someoneor some group might do. We do thebest we can to plan for the known andthe unknown and to respond when somethingdoes occur. Boston’s response to thebombings was extraordinary and exemplary,with police and emergency personnelimmediately on the scene, caring forthose who were injured and beginningthe investigation to determine who wasresponsible for this heinous crime andwhy it was committed.“The bombings happened on Patriot’sDay in Boston and in Massachusetts,the day that commemorates the start ofthe Revolutionary War, the beginning ofAmerica’s fight for freedom and independence.Regardless of the motive behindthe bombings, they are an assault on ourfreedom and on our nation.“The U.S. Conference of Mayors standswith Mayor Menino, Police CommissionerEdward Davis, Governor Duvall Patrickand all of those who will help the victimsof this horrific tragedy and the people ofBoston to heal. Boston is a resilient city,and this is a resilient nation. Together wewill get through this and we will be strongerthan ever.”usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 3

INFRASTRUCTUREfrom page 1Emanuel, who enlisted the ClintonGlobal Initiative to partner with the Conferenceof Mayors on the work of his taskforce, gave his assessment of the financingchallenges before mayors and thefederal government’s ability to help citiesfinance these needs in the future. “Washingtonis broken, on a policy level and apolitical level,” he said during the openingsession of the task force meeting, heldApril 19 at the national headquarters ofthe U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington(DC).These circumstances led Emanuel, heexplained in his remarks, to explore otheroptions for his city, including establishmentof the Chicago Infrastructure Trust,an initiative that will initially target the retrofittingof city buildings.The former President was not certainabout the potential for federal actionsin support of local infrastructure efforts.“The idea of a national infrastructurebank is one which should be done nationallybut probably won’t,” he said.Conference of Mayors President PhiladelphiaMayor Michael A. Nutter discussedthe need to do both strategies:keep the federal government involvedand increase the role of the private sector.“We have two big partners – one stillhas to be the federal government, and theother is the private sector, working withthem to unleash resources.”USCM Transportation andCommunications CommitteeChair Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reeddescribes his city’s efforts to buildthe BeltLine streetcar project.Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx discusseshis expansion plan for theregion’s public transportation system,which includes additional railtransit lines.“We [mayors] are all facing the samechallenges,” Nutter said. AcknowledgingConference of Mayors CEO and ExecutiveDirector Tom Cochran, he added thatat the Conference of Mayors, “It is alwaysabout sharing best practices, regardlessof the size of the city.”Clinton called on the task force to takeon a few activities to advance the work ofmayors in financing needed projects. Heurged the “task force to aggregate all thegood things mayors are doing.” Notingthat there are many state law-based barriersto local action, Clinton also urgedthe mayors to develop “a strategy for takingdown [state] barriers.”LaHood Praises MayoralLeadershipU.S. Department of TransportationSecretary Ray LaHood joined with themayors and the former President atthe session to share his perspectives onfinancing infrastructure and how mayorsare leading on the issue. “Innovative,young new mayors and the cities are theincubators. It is not states anymore. It’s thecities,” LaHood said.“If you want to attract investment, youhave to have infrastructure,” he said inciting Dubuque (IA) and their success inattracting new jobs and business developmentas a result of their infrastructurecommitments.Rockefeller Foundation President JudithRodin joined with the leaders to talk abouther foundation’s objectives, stating, “Ourgoal is to build greater resilience andmore equitable growth. The final participantat the opening session was UCBerkeley Professor Dr. Laura Tyson whospoke about the multiple benefits of infrastructureinvestment and underscored theneed to attract more private capital. “Wehave to mobilize more private money.”Mayors’ Project ChallengesCitedFollowing these remarks, individualtask force members had the opportunityto speak to their most pressing projects,ranging from expansion of rail transitin Charlotte, paying for stormwaterimprovements in Redmond (WA) to thebuild-out of “Coliseum City” in Oakland.In discussing New Orleans, Mayor MitchLandrieu said, “As we work together, wehave to find the models that work.” Echoingthis theme, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reedsaid, “We are all looking for a model.”Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake praised the Conference of Mayorsfor its work on integrated planning forwastewater and stormwater. “We can’tpay for all of our infrastructure needswith our city’s tax capacity,” she said.Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brownexplained his efforts to increase investmentin downtown Jacksonville without raisingany new taxes. Oklahoma City MayorMick Cornett reminded mayors about thecontinuing need for additional federalresearch and development to improvemethods for infrastructure development.After the opening session, former OMBDirector and now Citigroup Vice ChairmanPeter Orszag joined with MeridiamInfrastructure Chairman Jane Garveyto discuss features of various financingstructures. In the afternoon, CharlotteMayor Anthony Foxx presented his city’splan to significantly expand public transitthroughout Charlotte and MecklenburgCounty as a case study for participants.Others took part in two other separatesessions on public-private partnerships oninfrastructure financing.Emanuel will bring members of theInfrastructure Financing for Cities TaskForce to Chicago for the June 13-14 ClintonGlobal Initiative summit, with a taskforce meeting planned the followingweek during the Conference of Mayors81st Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.usmayors.orgPage 4 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

COPS Hiring Grants: Due by May 22By Laura DeKoven WaxmanThe Office of Community OrientedPolicing Services is now acceptinggrant applications from police andother law enforcement agencies forthe FY 2013 COPS Hiring Program.Approximately $165 million are availablethis year. The application periodends May 22.Grants will cover up to 75 percentof the approved entry-level salaryand benefits for three years for newlyhired, full-time sworn officer positions.The maximum federal contributionis $125,000 per position over thethree-year grant period. Funds may beused to fill existing unfunded vacanciesor for rehired officers who have beenlaid off, or are scheduled to be laid offon a specific future date as a result oflocal budget cuts.“Additional consideration” will begiven to applicants who commit totaking active steps to recruit, hire anddeploy at least one military veteran,to those who indicate that the officerpositions requested will be deployed asSchool Resource Officers, or to thosewho choose “Homicide” or “Gun Violence”as their community policingproblem area.Information is available online athttp://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=2367. Questions may betelephoned into the COPS OfficeResponse Center at 800-421-6770.Richmond (CA) Receives DollarWise SummerYouth GrantBy James KirbyDollarWise visited Richmond (CA)April 16 to present Mayor GayleMcLaughlin and Richmond YouthWORKSwith a $4,000 Summer Youth CampaignGrant. Richard Aguilar, AVP and BankingCenter Manager for Bank of America ofthe Greater San Francisco Area, joinedDollarWise for the presentation.The Summer Youth Campaign Grantwill support the Richmond YouthWORKSsummer program, which will place over260 youth in employment opportunitiesin local businesses and community organizationsthis summer. Youth involved inthe program will also participate in sixmandatory, pre-employment workshopsthat will include: academic and careerassessments, a financial literacy class, asexual harassment awareness session, aswell as a “soft” skills and a resume productionworkshop.The Summer Youth Campaign Grantwas made possible through a grant fromthe Bank of America Foundation, foundingsponsor of the DollarWise Campaign.Each year, DollarWise gives five grants of$4,000 each to cites that maintain effectivesummer youth employment programsand then go a step further to integratea robust financial education component.The Summer Youth Campaign is part ofa larger initiative of The U.S. Conferenceof Mayors, Bank of America Foundation,and the DollarWise Campaign to incorporatefinancial education into everysummer youth job by 2015.This summer DollarWise will againlaunch its Summer Youth Jobs Contest.Starting in June, youth involved in a summerjobs program will have the opportunityto visit the DollarWise website andcomplete a series of financial educationsections related to financial planning,checking and savings accounts, creditcards, and budgeting. Completing thesesections will enter youth into weeklydrawings giving them the chance to winan assortment of prizes. For more information,contact DollarWise ProgramManager James Kirby at jkirby@usmayors.org.Back row, left to right, MechanicsBank Vice President Xavier Abrams,Richmond (CA) Mayor GayleMcLaughlin, DollarWise ProgramManager James Kirby, and Bank ofAmerica of the Greater San FranciscoArea AVP and Banking CenterManager Richard Aguilar. Front row,Summer 2013 YouthWORKS participants.usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 5

Conference of Mayors, ScottsMiracle-Gro Kick Off 2013: Gro1000 GreenspaceDedications in Fort Worth, TuscaloosaRecently, Fort Worth dedicated itsnewly renovated and expanded Children’sVegetable Garden. In Tuscaloosa – almosttwo years to the day after a devastatingtornado in which more than 5,000homes and businesses were damaged ordestroyed and 53 people perished – thecity broke ground on Alberta Gardens,a greenspace that will serve as both asymbolic and literal centerpiece of Tuscaloosa’srebuilding and recovery efforts.Both projects were made possible thanksin large part to $25,000 grants from TheUnited Conference of Mayors and TheScottsMiracle-Gro Company’s GRO1000Gardens and Green Spaces Program.GRO1000, a partnership between theConference of Mayors and ScottsMiracle-Gro launched in 2011, aims to improveU.S. cities by creating increased accessto public gardens and green spaces. FortWorth and Tuscaloosa, which serve as thekick-off cities for this year’s GRO1000 program,are two of five winning cities thatwere chosen from a field of almost sixtyapplicants. The grants to the winning citiesinclude a combination of cash and in-kindproduct from ScottsMiracle-Gro, to supporttheir efforts to create dynamic newurban gardens and greenscapes in theircommunities.“From improving the urban fabricthrough enhancing the quality of publicgreen spaces, to improving access tohealthy, locally grown food for childrenand families, this partnership addressesso many of the quality-of-life issues facedin communities across the country,” saidConference of Mayors CEO and ExecutiveDirector Tom Cochran. “We’re proudto partner with ScottsMiracle-Gro tosponsor Gro1000, and to support thework of forward-thinking mayors like FortWorth Mayor Betsy Price and TuscaloosaMayor Walter Maddox to improve thequality of life for their residents.”Left to right, Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples,Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, and US West Regions and Latin America ofScotts Miracle Gro President Jim Tates at the dedication ceremony for theFort Worth Children’s Garden.Fort Worth: Children’sVegetable GardenThe Children’s Vegetable Garden,located within the Fort Worth BotanicalGarden, is designed to be a gatheringplace for children and families to learnabout healthy eating, nutrition and lifestyle,in a fun, hands-on environment.Through the GRO1000 grant, the Children’sVegetable Garden now has a newirrigation system, paved walkways, educationalpavilion, playhouse, greenhousesand garden beds. GRO1000 funds willalso support educational programmingand bring more school groups to theGarden. The Garden’s new educationalpavilion will serve as an outdoor classroom,with workshops and classes for thepublic on container gardening, specialtyplants and healthy eating.“GRO1000 goes hand-in-hand withmy FitWorth initiative centered on makinghealthier life choices and fighting childhoodobesity,” said Fort Worth MayorBetsy Price in commenting on the grantaward. “When families, especially children,come visit this new garden, they willsee how to incorporate healthy foods intotheir meal and how great it is to get outsideand plant their own garden. I wantto thank The U.S. Conference of Mayorsand ScottsMiracle-Gro for this tremendousgift to the City of Fort Worth.” Duringher remarks at the dedication ceremony,Price also touted the Gro1000grant as a prime example of the types ofpublic-private partnerships that she feelsare vital to helping her city leverage itsown stretched public resources.As part of the April 12 dedication ceremony,Scotts also awarded one student– Calvin Hale, an eighth grader at theApplied Learning Academy in Fort Worth– its “Give Back to Gro Youth GardenerAward,” based on nominations receivedfrom schools and from Price’s office. Hale,who gardened since he was four yearsold, said during his acceptance speech atthe dedication ceremony that he’d formulateda fertilizer – made of kelp, bone,See GRO1000 on page 7usmayors.orgPage 6 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

GRO1000from page 6seed meal, and dolomite – that, basedon an experiment he conducted, “wasbetter than Miracle-Gro.” That promptedScottsMiracle-Gro executive Jim Tates(President, U.S. Regions and Latin America)to quip, “You’re hired.”Following the formal dedication ceremony,Fort Worth schoolchildren, communityleaders and volunteers, as wellas staff and volunteers from USCM,ScottsMiracle-Gro, and other nationalpartners, were on hand to plant gardenbeds for spring.The expanded Children’s VegetableGarden is ready for the public to visitimmediately. For information on the FortWorth Botanic Garden, visit the websitewww.fwbg.org.Tuscaloosa: Alberta GardensAlberta Gardens is the final destinationalong a planned 5.5-mile City Walkthat follows the path of destruction fromthe 2011 tornado. The Gardens willencompass about 60,000 square feetof landscaping featuring fruit trees andbushes, herbs and flowers, as well as sittingareas and community garden space.The project is a cornerstone of the proposedAlberta Parkway project – one ofthe biggest recovery projects planned bythe city – for which Tuscaloosa MayorWalter Maddox has proposed allocatingmillions in federal disaster recoverymoney, including infrastructure improvementsfor roads, water, sewer, stormdrainage and fiber. “Front and centerin those recovery efforts is right here onSeventh Street East… In fact, probably thecrown jewel of our recovery is going tobe the Alberta Parkway,” Maddox said.In concert with the April 24 dedicationand ground-breaking ceremony, studentsfrom Alberta Elementary School joinedMaddox and other city officials, Conferenceof Mayors and ScottsMiracle-Grostaff, local volunteers, and GRO1000Bill Dawson, Franklin Park Conservatory and Alberta Elementary Schoolchildren throw wild flower balls into an open field as part of the educationalactivity. The balls containing wild flowers seeds that will begin togrow in the now barren area next to the new community garden.Left to right, ScottsMiracle-Gro Global Research and Development SVPBruce Caldwell, USCM staffer Crystal Swann, and Tuscaloosa MayorWalter Maddox with the $25,000 check for the GRO1000 Garden andGreenspace Award Program.national and local partners to install ediblegarden beds at recently rebuilt Habitatfor Humanity homes in the community.In addition, area residents received newflower and/or vegetable garden bedsaround their homes and children participatedin educational activities.In commenting on the significance ofAlberta Gardens, Maddox said, “Thegrowth of the Alberta Gardens will symbolizeour continued growth as a peoplewho learned there is so much more thatunites us than divides us...on this spot,thanks to Scotts Miracle-Gro and TheU.S. Conference of Mayors, the seeds ofhope will replace the harvest of despairwe experienced two years ago, and forthat we are thankful.”The Fort Worth and TuscaloosaGRO1000 dedications are the first ofseveral public installation events beingheld in the U.S., Canada and Europe thisyear. Similar dedication ceremonies andcommunity service activities will be heldin the coming weeks in each of the threeadditional winning Gro1000 U.S. citiesfor 2013:• Sacramento, CA• Bridgeport, CT• Cincinnati, OHFor more information about theGRO1000 Gardens and Green SpacesProgram, contact Crystal Swann on theConference of Mayors staff by telephoneat 202-861-6707 or send e-mail tocswann@usmayors.org.usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 7

In Response to Senate Vote, Mayor NutterSays Mayors Will Not Give Up on GunSafety LegislationThe U.S. Senate on April 17 rejectedfour amendments to the Safe Communities,Safe Schools Act strongly supportedby The U.S. Conference of Mayors:• Senators Patrick Toomey (PA) and JoeManchin’s (WV) bipartisan compromiseto require background checks forprivate-party gun sales in commercialsettings and preserve current recordkeepingpractices;• Senator Dianne Feinstein’s (CA)amendment to ban assault weaponsand high-capacity magazines;• Senators Frank Lautenberg (NJ) andRichard Blumenthal’s (CT) amendmentto ban high-capacity magazines;• Senators Patrick Leahy (VT) and SusanCollins’s (ME) amendment that wouldcreate federal offenses for straw purchasingand trafficking of firearmsand expand and increase penaltiesfor several existing gun laws.Following the day’s voting, Conferenceof Mayors President Philadelphia MayorMichael A. Nutter released the followingstatement:“It is with deep disappointment thatthe nation’s mayors today watched theSenate reject amendment after amendmentthat would have strengthened thenation’s gun laws and helped to preventthe tragedies which occur every dayon the streets of our cities and the massshootings in Newtown, Aurora, Tucson,and too many other places in our nation.Those amendments would have strengthenedand expanded the backgroundcheck system, banned assault weapons,strengthened federal gun statutes, andbanned high-capacity magazines.“Clearly the shots heard ‘round theworld on December 14 were not heardby enough U.S. Senators to make a differenceon April 17. Nor were the shotswhich have killed nearly 3500 additionalpeople in this country since December 14.“Despite the appeals of the familiesof those children and teachers shot andkilled in Newtown, despite the appeals offormer Congresswoman Gabby Giffords,not enough Senators were persuaded thatmore can be done to keep guns awayfrom those who would turn them on us.“Despite the appeals of Mayors andlaw enforcement leaders across thisnation, too many Senators believe thatthe laws governing firearms in our countrydo not need to be strengthened aswas proposed today, that the loopholesin those laws do not need to be closed.“In poll after poll, the vast majority ofAmericans voice their support for strongergun safety laws, but their voices are“Clearly the shots heard ‘round the world on December14 were not heard by enough U.S. Senators to make adifference on April 17.”USCM President Philadelphia MayorMichael A. Nutterconsistently drowned out by the organizedadvocates of the status quo who have astronger presence in the halls of Congress.“Mayors never stop fighting to ensurethe safety of our citizens, and we will notgive up on our efforts on this issue. TheU.S. Conference of Mayors has supportedmeasures to reduce gun violence formore than four decades and we won’t bedeterred from pushing for what is right.That is what the American people wantand what our cities and our nation needs.”– USCM President Philadelphia MayorMichael A. Nutterusmayors.orgPage 8 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

See DISGRACE on page 10usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 9

DISGRACEfrom page 9usmayors.orgPage 10 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

WASHINGTON OUTLOOKBy Larry JonesConference of Mayors CEO and ExecutiveDirector Tom Cochran convened ameeting of diverse organizations (representingairports, housing, education,labor unions, roads and transportation,economic development, bond dealers,public power, state and local governments,general contractors and manyothers) on April 22 to discuss a strategyto protect municipal bonds from effortsto cap or eliminate the tax deduction oninterest earnings for investors. More than50 organizations attended the April 22meeting, where representatives talkedabout a proposal in the Administration’s2014 budget that would cap the taxdeduction on municipal bond interest fortop income earners at 28 percent; and aproposal in the Senate budget that offersalternatives that would cap or eliminatethe deduction. Groups were united inopposition to both proposals.The April 22 gathering grew out ofan earlier Big 7 meeting (a coalition ofstate and local government groups thatmeet monthly to share information andwork together on issues of common interest;which, in addition to The U.S. Conferenceof Mayors, include the NationalGovernors Association, National Conferenceof State Legislatures, Council ofState Governments, National Associationof Counties (NACo), National League ofCities (NLC) and the International CityManagement Association) at which representativesagreed to work together toactively oppose the 28 percent cap andfull elimination of the tax-exemption onmunicipal bond interest. Representativesfeel strongly that both proposals wouldshift the burden of funding critical infrastructurefrom the federal, exclusively tostate and local governments.During the Big 7 meeting, Cochraninformed those in attendance of theprogress that the Conference of Mayorshad achieved in working with NLC andNACo. He mentioned a study released bythe three organizations that shows howstate and local governments would have60 organizations joined with the Conference of Mayors,NLC and NACo in signing a letter that was sent to SenateMajority Leader Harry Reid (NV) and Senate MinorityLeader Mitch McConnell (KY) expressing concern aboutthe municipal bond language in the Senate 2014 budgetproposal and urging them to support the continuationof the current tax-exempt status of municipal bonds.Organizations ComeTogether to Fight Efforts toCap Tax-Exempt Status ofMunicipal Bondsspent $173 billion more to finance infrastructureprojects over the last decade ifthe 28 percent cap had been in placeand $495 billion more if the deductionhad been eliminated.Cochran told the group that SenatorMark Begich (AK) and 13 other DemocraticSenators sent a letter to PresidentObama on behalf of state and local governmentscautioning against shifting theburden of the national fiscal challengesto states and cities by capping or eliminatingthe tax-exempt status of municipalbonds. He also pointed out that 60organizations joined with the Conferenceof Mayors, NLC and NACo in signinga letter that was sent to Senate MajorityLeader Harry Reid (NV) and SenateMinority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY)expressing concern about the municipalbond language in the Senate 2014 budgetproposal and urging them to supportthe continuation of the current tax-exemptstatus of municipal bonds. After hearingabout the organizations letter, Big 7representatives expressed an interest inworking with the 60 organizations andasked Cochran to convene the April 22meeting on behalf of the Big 7.During the meeting, there was consensusto work together to protect the taxexemptstatus of municipal bonds; findchampions in both houses of Congresswho will promote our cause; meet withkey leaders in the Senate and House toeducate them on the impact of the 28percent cap and the full elimination ofthe tax exemption; use the Begich letterto build support in the Senate and geta similar letter going in the House; urgemembers of the House to sign a bipartisanresolution sponsored by RepresentativesLee Terry (NE) and Richard Neal(MA) celebrating the history of municipalbonds and the 100-year tax exemptionfor municipal bond interest; work togetherto develop a Washington strategy, agrassroots strategy and a media strategy.usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 11

WASHINGTON OUTLOOKBy Eugene T. LoweSenate and House MembersCall For $3.3 Billion forCDBG Formula FundingIn a “Dear Colleague” letter to ChairwomanPatty Murray (WA) and RankingMember Susan Collins (ME) of the SenateSubcommittee on Transportation, Housingand Urban Development, and RelatedAgencies, 39 Senators requested supportfor $3.3 billion in formula funds for theCommunity Development Block Grant(CDBG) program.The letter, spearheaded by SenatorPatrick Leahy (VT), said: “We understandthat difficult decisions face the Subcommitteein meeting funding needs underthe restrictions created by the BudgetControl Act. However, we remain concernedabout the impact past cuts havehad on the program and the continuedimpact any additional cuts will have onthe communities that rely on this fundingto serve their most vulnerable residents.”Similarly, 138 House members in a“Dear Colleague” letter to Chairman TomLatham (IA) and Ranking Member Ed Pastor(AZ) of the Subcommittee on Transportation,Housing and Urban Development,and Related Agencies also requested$3.3 billion in formula funding for CDBG.The House letter said: “Despite being akey tool for aiding the growth of communities,the CDBG program, like many programs,has taken a share of robust cutsin recent years, falling substantially – byover $1 billion since FY2010.”The CDBG Coalition, a group of nationalorganizations, including the Conferenceof Mayors, also sent a letter to the bothHouse and Senate appropriation subcommitteesurging support of $3.3 billion inCDBG formula funding. The letter said:“Since FY2010, funding for CDBG hasbeen cut by over $1 billion, yet the needfor these important resources at the locallevel has continued to grow. While weunderstand the need to address the federalbudget, we also understand the valueof the local investments made by CDBG.”The CDBG Coalition expressed a deepconcern with the Administration’s FY2014proposed budget cut to CDBG, “fundingthe formula program at $2.8 billion.”MARKETPLACEfrom page 1taken to limit future debate and ensure avote on final passage. Over 70 Senatorshave consistently voted in favor of the legislationand are expected to do so whenthey vote on final approval.Senate Majority leader Harry Reid(NV) and the key sponsors were aimingto complete action on the bill by April25 before members departed town fora week recess. But opponents, lead bySenators Max Baucus (MT), Orrin Hatch(UT) and Ron Wyden (OR), who arefrom states without a sales tax, objectedbecause the bill did not go throughregular order in that it was not referredto the Finance Committee before beingconsidered on the floor of the Senate;and because they claim it would imposeenormous burdens on small businesseslocated in their states.In response, Senators Durbin andAlexander reminded members that thebill was consistently referred to the SenateFinance Committee but the Committeefailed to act on the bill for over a decade.That’s why the sponsors filed a motionthat was approved by the Senate to bringthe bill to the floor without going throughCommittee. Senator Enzi also clarifiedthat the legislation would exempt smallbusinesses with less than $1 million inannual remote sales. He pointed out thatsince 99 percent of small businesses haveless than $1 million in annual remotesales, nearly all of them would be exemptfrom the act.Numerous amendments were filed anddiscussed during debate, many of whichwere offered to weaken the bill including:a measure offered by Senator Hatch thatwould sunset the law after five years; anamendment by Senator Jeanne Shaheen(NH) that would exempt retailers in thefive states that do not have a sales tax;and an amendment by Pat Toomey (PA)that would have exempted small businesseswith $10 million in gross annualsales. A troublesome amendment sponsoredby Senators Ron Wyden (OR) andJohn Thune (SD), which is opposed bythe Conference and other state and localgroups, would have added the digitalgoods bill to the Marketplace Fairness Actto preempt state and local governmentsability to tax purchases such as downloadedmusic, movies and online services.The Conference of Mayors is asking allmayors to continue to urge their Senatorsvote for final passage of the MarketplaceFairness Act.usmayors.orgPage 12 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

WASHINGTON OUTLOOKBy Laura DeKoven WaxmanAs has been widely reported, on April18 the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” introducedthe Border Security, EconomicOpportunity and Immigration ModernizationAct (S. 744) in the Senate.The eight drafters are Senators CharlesSchumer (NY), John McCain (AZ), RobertMenendez (NJ), Lindsey Graham (SC),Marco Rubio (FL), Richard Durbin (IL), JeffFlake (AZ) and Michael Bennet (CO). TheSenate Judiciary Committee quickly heldthree hearings on the bill and ChairmanPatrick Leahy (VT) announced that heplans to markup the bill early in May andbring it to the floor in June.Based on an analysis by the NationalConference of State Legislatures, the billwould:• Establish the Comprehensive ImmigrationReform Trust Fund with an initialfederal outlay of $6.5 billion to beused for border security. The fund willbe sustained through various visa feesand penalties. This funding is designatedas emergency funding, wouldnot violate spending caps, and wouldbe available for ten years.• Initiate a comprehensive border securityprogram that includes 3,500additional U.S. Customs and BorderProtection Officers, funding for stateand local law enforcement through theOperation Stonegarden Program andfor interoperable communication forfederal, state, and local law enforcement,and reimbursement to state andlocal governments for costs associatedwith prosecution and pretrialdetention of federally initiated criminalcases declined by local U.S. Attorney’soffices.• Reauthorize the State Criminal AlienAssistance Program (currently fundedat $240 million) through 2015.• Ensure that the enforcement of civilBipartisan ImmigrationReform Bill Moving Quicklythrough Senate JudiciaryCommitteeimmigration law is a responsibility ofthe federal government by providingenhanced training for federal bordersecurity and immigration officers.• Establish a Border Oversight Task Forceto review and make recommendationson immigration and border enforcementpolicies and strategies. State andlocal government would have five seatson the commission – two from thenorthern border region and three fromthe southern border region.• Mandate E-Verify for all employerswith a five-year phase-in, beginningwith federal contractors. A nationalID card would be specifically prohibited;identity verification throughenhanced fraud-proof documentswould be required. States could voluntarilysubmit driver’s license photosto the federal E-Verify system, andthose that voluntarily participate couldbe reimbursed through a $250 milliongrant program.• Create a new guest worker-type visa,the “W” visa, for jobs requiring lessthan a bachelor’s degree, and reformthe high-skilled visa system.• Restructure and replace current H-2Avisa systems with an Agriculture WorkerProgram and create a process forunauthorized agricultural workers inthe United States to gain legal statusthrough a new “blue card” temporaryresidency program.• Create a path to legal status andcitizenship through the creation ofa Registered Provisional Immigrant(RPI) status. RPI status would be availableto individuals who meet eligibilitycriteria after paying a fee andpenalty and submitting a completedapplication. Eligibility requirementswould include demonstrated continuousphysical presence in the UnitedStates on or before December 31,2011; not being convicted of any seriouscrime; and not having a federaltax liability. Initial registration wouldbe valid for six years. RPIs would thenhave to apply for renewal, whichwould require a background check,additional fees, and a fine, along withproof of employment and proof thatthey will not become a public charge.After ten years, RPIs could applyfor an adjustment in status, such asLawful Permanent Resident (LPR) and,after three additional years, apply fornaturalization. They would need topay fees and fines, demonstrate proofof employment and English languageacquisition, pass a background check,and meet other requirements.• Allow individuals who were broughtto the United States as children beforethey were 16 and completed highschool or a GED to be eligible forRPI status (DREAMers). Individualswho received Deferred Action forChildhood Arrivals would be grandfatheredinto RPI status. DREAM RPIswould be exempt from penalties andtriggers and are eligible to adjust toLegal Permanent Resident or naturalizeafter five years. Children under16 would not be included and wouldhave a separate set of criteria for theirpath to citizenship.• Address the visa backlog by creatinga new merit-based visa program thatwould award points to individualsbased on several factors, includingemployment, education, and lengthof United States residence. No onewith RPI status would be allowed toSee IMMIGRATION on page 14usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 13

Mesa Mayor Smith Joins Arizona Leaders atWashington Immigration ForumUSCM Vice President Mesa Mayor Scott Smith introduces Arizona TalksImmigration Session at National Press Club.Conference of Mayors Vice PresidentMesa Mayor Scott Smith was in Washington(DC) April 24 to introduce ArizonaTalks Immigration, a panel discussionsponsored by the Greater PhoenixEconomic Council. Joined at the event byAvondale (AZ) Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers,President of the National League ofCities (NLC), Smith pledged that the Conferenceof Mayors and NLC will continueto work closely together to represent cities’interests as Congress considers immigrationreform legislation.Held at the National Press Club, thesession was moderated by USA TodayWashington Bureau Chief Susan Page.Representing Arizona on the panel wereArizona Representative Krysten Sinemaand Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.Sinema suggested that the pragmatismand leadership that mayors Smithand Lopez Rogers demonstrate would bemost welcome in Congress. She also discussedthe immigration legislation beingdeveloped in the House, both a comprehensivebipartisan proposal and individualbills being developed by the HouseJudiciary Committee. Montgomery commentedthat establishing border securitywill make Arizonans much more willingto discuss a path to citizenship. Severalother panelists discussed immigrationfrom a more national perspective andincluded some thoughts on the role thatthe situation in Arizona is playing in thenational debate.Photo by Samuel CorumIMMIGRATIONfrom page 13apply for citizenship until the visabacklog is ended.• Include an improved Conrad 30 programthat allows doctors to receive awaiver of the requirement to return totheir home country in exchange forthree years of service in a medicallyunderserved area in the United States(30 per state per year).• Incorporate a pilot program to promoteimmigrant integration at stateand local levels. This pilot programwould award competitive grants forintegration activities to state and localgovernments in states with high immigrantpopulations.• Deny RPIs federal means-tested benefits(Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, TANF, SSI)for at least 10 years after RPI status isgranted. (DREAMers would be deniedsuch benefits for at least five years ofRPI status). This does not include thefive-year waiting period that mostqualified immigrants must wait beforebecoming eligible, so most RPIs wouldbe ineligible for federal means-testedbenefits for at least 13-15 years.Impact on Local and StateGovernmentThe Conference of Mayors has beenworking closely with other state and localgovernment groups to monitor the potentialfor and guard against a negativeimpact on local and state governmentsby immigration reform legislation. Oneconcern has been any possible requirementthat local police or other officialswould have to determine an individual’sstatus. The Senate bill does not includesuch a requirement and makes it clearthat enforcement of civil immigration lawsis a federal responsibility.In response to concerns about potentialfiscal impacts of the bill, the Senate billwould reauthorize the State Criminal AlienAssistance Program, provide limited assistanceto law enforcement along the border,and establish a pilot program to fostercommunity integration of immigrants, itdoes not include a specific provision whichthe groups have been advocating: flexiblefunding which local and state governmentscould use to provide needed assistance,such as English language trainingor health care, to immigrants. The groupsare meeting with staff to key Senators andRepresentatives to raise these issues andurge inclusion of a provision that woulduse a portion of the visa fees collected tosupport such a programusmayors.orgPage 14 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

2013 National CommunityDevelopment Week BuildsSupport For CDBG, HOMEFundingBy Eugene T. LoweCities, counties and states from acrossthe nation observed the 2013 NationalCommunity Development Week April1-6. All sponsored and held local eventsdesigned to showcase the accomplishmentsof the Community DevelopmentBlock Grant (CDBG) and HOME investmentPartnerships programs. CDBG hasmade outstanding contributions to localand state governments for the past 39years, while HOME has done the same for22 years. The theme of the 2013 NationalCommunity Development Week was“Changing Communities, Changing Lives.”National Community DevelopmentWeek was created 27 years ago whennational organizations, including theConference of Mayors, found that manymembers of Congress were not familiarwith the CDBG program and what theprogram meant to citizens and communities.As it has always been, the goal ofCD Week is to educate members of Congressand the community on CDBG andHOME regarding the impact of both programson the lives of low- and moderateincomecitizens.What is at stake is the funding levelof both programs. In FY2001, CDBG formulafunding stood at $4.406 billion. InFY2013, the formula funding level is $3.0billon. For HOME, as recent as FY2010,the funding level was $1.825 billion. InFY2013, the funding level is $950 million.Below is a sampling of the 2013 CDBGand HOME celebration events fromaround the country.Portland (OR) – A walk was heldalong Congress Street to show the use ofCDBG funds, including façade improvementsfor local businesses.Lowell (MA) – Throughout the week,the city hosted tours and open houses ofprojects supported by CDBG and HOME.Lowell had its celebration one week later,April 9-13 (a common practice by manylocalities is to hold CD Week at the mostconvenient time for all participants).Jacksonville (FL) – Events wereheld to showcase the following accomplishments:a computer literacy and trainingprogram to assist 250 public housingand Section 8 participants; social,cultural, educational, recreational andinformational activities for 12,500 seniorsto remain independent; activities for 125low and moderate income, at-risk youth;literacy skills to 75 homeless and otheradults who are currently without a highschool diploma.Madison (WI) – the city highlightedits accomplishments for CDBG and HOMEover several years: 484 lower incomehouseholds have been able to purchasetheir first home; over 1,000 low incomehouseholds have benefited from the creationor improvement of affordable housingunits; over 300 individuals for lowerincome households have obtained jobs;and, over 410,000 lower income individualshave benefited from a service orprogram at a neighborhood center.New Bedford (MA) – Mayor JonMitchell presented a proclamation designatingNational CD Week. Team Builders,Inc., a CDBG funded youth program madea presentation. The Homeless ProviderNetwork presented the annual Sister RoseAward to a deserving individual in recognitionof their achievement and dedicationto serving the homeless community.Newton (MA) – National CommunityDevelopment Week Film Screening &Awards Ceremony (featuring a documentaryexploring the impact of communitydevelopment programs on the lives ofNewton residents).MAYORS BUSINESSCOUNCILMember ProfileAmerican WaterFounded in 1886, American Water is thelargest publicly traded U.S. water andwastewater services provider. AmericanWater has both regulated state subsidiariesand market-based businesses, servingapproximately 14 million people in morethan 30 states and parts of Canada.American Water has a successful trackrecord of public-private partnerships andoffers municipalities, the military and otherentities a range of solutions to help meetwater and waste water system challenges.With its dedication to customer serviceand water quality, the company scoresgreater than 99.9 percent compliance forEPA drinking water standards and consistentlydelivers high customer satisfactionscores. More information can be found atwww.amwater.com.American Water’s homeowner servicessubsidiary, American Water Resources,LLC. (AWR) provides Water Line, SewerLine and In-Home Plumbing Emergencyprotection for homeowners in 34 states.Selected by New York City as the officialservice line protection provider forhomeowners in its five boroughs, AWRalso forms partnerships with municipalities,offering cities an income opportunitywhile also providing a valuable customerservice to homeowners. The programsare administered by AWR and providecustomers with comprehensive protectionfor repairs not covered by homeowners’insurance or their water or sewer serviceprovider. More information can be foundat www.awrusa.com.* In CA (DBA as American Water ResourcesInsurance Services) and in VA, this programis insurance, which is provided byVirginia Surety Company, Inc.For more Business Council profiles visitthe Conference of Mayors website atusmayors.org/buscouncilusmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 15

PROGRAM • The Westin PhiladelphiaWEDNESDAY,MAY 2212:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.Registration6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.Evening Reception, Comcast CenterTHURSDAY,MAY 237:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Registration8:00 a.m.Breakfast and WelcomeInnovating for DemocracyMICHAEL A. NUTTER, Mayor of Philadelphia,President, The United StatesConference of MayorsEDWIN M. LEE, Mayor of San Francisco,Chair, Technology and InnovationTask Force9:00 a.m.Technology for Social ImpactMATTHEW STEPKA, Vice President,Google9:20 a.m.The New Urban ToolboxMATTHEW STEPKA, Vice President,GoogleNEIL KLEIMAN, Special Advisor to theDean at New York University10:45 a.m.Coffee and Conversations10:45 a.m.Press Conference11:00 a.m.Opening the Government: CreatingData Democracies for the Public GoodEDWIN M. LEE, Mayor of San Francisco,Chair, Technology and InnovationTask ForceCHRIS TONJES, Chief InformationOfficer, BaltimoreTED SMITH, Chief Information Officer,LouisvillePHILIP ASHLOCK, Open31112:00 p.m.LunchDAVID L. COHEN, Executive VicePresident Comcast Corporation1:00 p.m.Seeding Civic Engagement with TechnologyWILLIAM OATES, Chief InformationOfficer, BostonLILLY LIU, Founder and CEO, Public-StuffKEYA DENENBAUM, Founder andChief Executive Officer, ElectNextMICHAEL BRENNAN, Second Muse2:00 p.m.The New Infrastructure: The Economyof Investing in BroadbandMILO MEDIN, Vice President AccessServices, Google3:00 p.m.Coffee and Conversations3:15 p.m.Building the Team: Marshaling theUrban Forces of InnovationJOHN MARKS, Mayor of TallahasseeBILL HARRISON, Mayor of FremontKARIMA ZEDAN, Internet Essentials,Comcast CorporationCHRIS OSGOOD, Co-Chair, BostonNew Urban MechanicsNAVARROW WRIGHT, Chief TechnologyOfficer, Interactive One5:00 p.m.Tour of the Navy Yard7:30 p.m.Dinner, Urban OutfittersFRIDAY,MAY 248:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.Registration8:00 a.m.New Catalyst for Urban Innovation:Collaborating Across Partnerships ABreakfast RoundtableMICHELLE LEE, CEO, Textizen9:30 a.m.Breaking Through the Barriers to SpurInnovationJEN PAHLKA, Executive Director,Code for AmericaBEN HECHT, President and CEO, LivingCities10:30 a.m.Coffee and Conversations10:45 a.m.Next Steps: Where Do We Go FromHere?SUSAN MOLINARI, Vice President ofPublic Policy & Government Affairs,Google12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.Closing LunchMore Information: Julie Fesenmaier,Center for Competitive Government, FoxSchool of Business, Temple Universityjuliefes@temple.edu | 215-204-7040usmayors.orgPage 16 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

May 1- 3World Cultural EconomicForum (International and U.S. Mayors),New Orleans. Contact: JocelynBogen jbogen@usmayors.org / 202-861-6727. Sponsorship: Geri Powellgpowell@usmayors.org / 202-861-6774. Registration Now OpenMay 8U.S. Communities StrategicSourcing Summit, Tarpon Springs(FL) (Tampa area). Contact: JeannieFanning jfanning@usmayors.org/240-393-9672May 13U.S. Communities StrategicSourcing Summit, Norristown (PA)(Philadelphia area). Contact: JeannieFanning jfanning@usmayors.org /240-393-9672May 15Benefits Best Practice Forum,East Orange (NJ). Contact: JeannieFanning jfanning@usmayors.org /240-393-9672May 17-19His Holiness the Dalai LamaVisit / Muhammad Ali Meeting/ Compassion in GoverningPanel, Louisville. Contacts: BrendaFrank brenda.frank@louisvilleky.gov/ 502-574-2018. Lori Hatton lori.hatton@louisvilleky.gov/ 502-574-4543May 22-24Mayors Innovation Summit,Philadelphia. Contact: David Burnsdburns@usmayors.org / 202-861-6765. Registration OpenCalendar of Events(Updated 04/24/13)June 21-2481st Annual Conference ofMayors, Las Vegas. Contact: CarolEdwards cedwards@usmayors.org/ 202-293-7330. Sponsorship: GeriPowell gpowell@usmayors.org / 202-861-6774. Registration OpenAugust 1-3Summer Leadership OfficersMeeting (USCM Executive Committee,Advisory Board and Chairs Only),Park City. Contact: Carol Edwardscedwards@usmayors.org / 202-293-7330. Sponsorship: Geri Powellgpowell@usmayors.org / 202-861-6774. Registration Available in JuneSeptember 12-13Coalition of Cities AgainstRacism, Birmingham. Contact: TomMcClimon mcclimon@usmayors.org /202-861-6729. Registration AvailableSoon2014January 22-2482nd Conference of MayorsWinter Meeting, Washington (DC).Contact: Carol Edwards cedwards@usmayors.org / 202-293-7330. Sponsorship:Geri Powell gpowell@usmayors.org/ 202-861-6774. RegistrationAvailable Fall 2013MAYORS BUSINESSCOUNCILMember ProfileBank of AmericaBank of America’s support of communitiesthrough philanthropy, volunteerism, environmentalinitiatives, community developmentlending and responsible corporatepractices is an investment in its long-termsuccess as a business. Today, the bank isdelivering on three significant goals overthe next ten years to improve the economichealth and vitality of the communities itserves: a $1.5 trillion community developmentlending and investing goal focusedon affordable housing, small businessgrowth and other economic developmentinitiatives; a philanthropic goal to invest$2 billion in charitable organizationscommitted to strengthening neighborhoods;and a $20 billion environmentalinitiative to address the issue of climatechange. From promoting home ownershipand retention through responsiblelending and investing to fostering the newgreen economy and providing access toeducational, leadership, arts and culturalopportunities, Bank of America recognizesthat healthy communities are importantto all stakeholders and the company’sbottom line. As a result, the bank worksclosely with community leaders to implementrelative programs including The U.S.Conference of Mayors DollarWi$e Campaignto promote financial literacy in citiesacross the U.S.The Bank of America Local Market Deliveryteam also partners with the mayorson a variety of issues including marketgrowth, transit, social issues and more.For additional information about Bankof America’s commitment to communities,visit the website www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.Special Interests: City Livability, CommunityDevelopment, Credit/Debt Rating, DebtManagement, Economic Development,Economic Policy, Environment, FinancialManagement, Homeland Security, Housing,Minority Issues, Municipal BondCounsel, Neighborhood Redevelopment,Pension Issues, Public Financing, SmallBusiness Development, Tax LegislationMay 23Benefits Best Practice Forum,Greenwood Village (CO). Contact:Jeannie Fanning jfanning@usmayors.org / 240-393-9672For updates or changes,visit our website atusmayors.orgFor more Business Council profiles visitthe Conference of Mayors website atusmayors.org/buscouncilusmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 17

Conference of Mayors, Wells Fargo Work toPrevent ForeclosuresThe U.S. Conference of Mayors andWells Fargo, who services about one ofevery six U.S. home loans, met for thefifth time in San Diego in April as part ofa national alliance focused on foreclosureprevention, property disposition, homeownership,and community development.Mayors and Conference of Mayors staffjoined Wells Fargo industry experts todiscuss efforts and strategies to addresshousing challenges in local municipalities.During the forum, Wells Fargo officialsemphasized the importance to encourageconstituents facing financial distressto contact their mortgage servicer.“When customers choose to workwith us, we help about seven of 10 witha solution to avoid foreclosure,” said JoeOhayon, senior vice president and headof community outreach with Wells FargoHome Mortgage servicing.While 93 percent of Wells Fargo mortgagecustomers are current with theirloans and the company’s delinquency andforeclosure rates are better than the industryaverage, Ohayon says commonly,homeowners’ financial challenges extendbeyond their mortgage and are oftenrelated to an employment change – losinga job or making less money at a new job,health problems and even divorce.“Our goal is to help as many homeownersas we can avoid foreclosurewhenever possible,” said Ohayon.At the home preservation workshopthat was held at the same time as the SanDiego forum, Wells Fargo met with 138homeowners struggling with mortgagepayments among more than 40,000 thecompany has met with at its workshopsnationwide.The effort is helping homeowners avoidforeclosure. For instance, after an excellentpayment history on their first and onlyhome, Roderick and Cleo of Californiawere experiencing payment challengesand attended a recent Wells Fargo homepreservation workshop. They had a seriesof personal setbacks beyond their control,including Roderick suffering an injuryat his job and Cleo getting laid off fromhers. That changed their income and theirability to stay current with their mortgagepayments. The choice to attend the workshopresulted in their payment being moremanageable, and helped them keep theirhome and avoid foreclosure.Wells Fargo has participated in morethan 1,100 home preservation eventssince 2008, including hosting 88 largescalehome preservation workshops. WellsFargo has scheduled more home preservationworkshops in Phoenix (April 23),Stockton (CA) (May 7), Dallas (May 23),New Orleans (June 14), and Birmingham(AL) (June 20). Local mayors are welcometo tour the upcoming workshops.Wells Fargo customers facing mortgagepayment challenges can visit the websitewww.wellsfargo.com/homeassist/ or call800-678-7986 to work with Wells Fargoto explore options that may be availableto help them avoid foreclosure.Wells Fargo is also taking a proactiveapproach to maintain abandoned properties.Officials may contact the WellsFargo Home Mortgage Property PreservationDepartment by calling toll free at1-877-617-5274 or send e-mail to codeviolations@wellsfargo.com.“We service and regularly inspectand maintain our vacant properties,” saidWells Fargo Home Mortgage’s PropertyPreservation Department Vice PresidentSherilee Massier.Another important resource is a database,known as MERS®, that can be usedto research the mortgage servicer forat-risk properties. MERS provides accessto data on the MERS® System free ofcharge to homeowners, county officials,and regulatory officials (subject to privacyrestrictions). Officials can access thedata on local mortgage loans registeredon the MERS® System online at www.mersinc.org or by calling toll-free 1-888-679-6377.usmayors.orgPage 18 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

World Cultural Economic ForumMay 1-3 • New Orleans • AGENDA(as of 4/24/13)It is requested that all participants andguests pre-register for this meeting. Alldelegates must wear WCEF badges forall sessions and social events. The badgeis the chief identification for admissionto all scheduled events. Failure to wearbadges may cause inconvenience to participants.Wednesday, May 1All Day Arrival in New Orleans10:00 AM to 6:00 PMRegistration1:30 PM to 3:30 PM• Tour of New Orleans Cultural & CreativeIndustries (OPTIONAL). Pre-registrationrequired. The tour will coverthe city’s cultural arts education &talent pipeline with a visit to the NewOrleans Center for Creative Arts andthe Ellis Marsalis Center in MusiciansVillage; future expansions of the culturaleconomy with a visit to the LafitteGreenway Cultural District and theLower Garden District Film & MusicProduction Cluster; and, a discussionof the heart of New Orleans’ culturaleconomy, the City’s annual MardiGras celebration. The tour will returnto the Roosevelt Hotel.6:00 PM to 8:00 PMWelcome ReceptionThursday, May 28:00 AM to 5:00 PM• Registration7:30 AM to 8:30 AM• Breakfast Buffet8:30 AM to 11:30 AM• Opening Ceremony of the World CulturalEconomic Forum• Distinguished visitors will be welcomedand enjoy a demonstration by MardiGras Indians• Tracing their roots back to a timewhen American Indians helped shieldrunaway slaves. The Mardi Gras Indiansare among the most colorful andmysterious of New Orleans’s Culturalphenomena. Finding it difficult to participatein Mardi Gras “Krewes,” earlyAfrican Americans developed theirown way of celebrating by organizingMardi Gras Indian tribes as Krewes.Today, Mardi Gras Indians shineat every opportunity by showcasingtheir spectacular hand-made costume,lovely song and contagious spirit.Watch them parade and perform atseveral events including Jazz Fest,“Super Sunday” the Sunday after St.Joseph’s Day or come during MardiGras season when their celebratoryspirits shine most – you can’t leaveNew Orleans without having joined inthis truly unique tradition.• MITCHELL LANDRIEU, Mayor of NewOrleans• MICHAEL NUTTER, Mayor of Philadelphia,President, United States Conferenceof Mayors• TOM COCHRAN, CEO and ExecutiveDirector, United States Conference ofMayors• St. Petersburg: A Cultural CapitalHIS EXCELLENCY SERGEY KISLYAKRussian Ambassador to the UnitedStates• Bay Lights Project: Melding Art, Technologyand the City. The world’slargest light sculpture illuminatingthe world famous San Francisco BayBridge was unveiled in early March.This public art project, which is illuminatedby more than 25,000 LED lights,will be on display for two years. Thepanelists will discuss the artist’s visionbehind the project, the impact on thecity and the technology and sustainabilitygoals achieved in the process.• JO BELTRAN, President, San FranciscoArts Commission• AMY CRITCHETT, The Bay Lights,Executive Producer, Illuminate the Arts,Executive Director• PHIL O’DONNELL, Operations Manager– Iconic Installations, PhilipsColor Kinetics11:00 AMOfficial Photo Opportunity for WCEFParticipants/Press Availability12:00 PM to 1:30 PMLuncheonHIS EXCELLENCY GARY DOER, CanadianAmbassador to the United States1:30 PM to 2:45 PMPlenary SessionLiverpool’s Cultural and EconomicRenaissance• ANDY SNELL, Head of InternationalInvestment, Liverpool Vision• Creative Place Making: Public Art andUrban PlanningJASON SCHUPBACH, Director ofDesign, National Endowment for theArts• From Tragedy to Heritage DestinationWILLIAM BELL, Sr., Mayor of Birmingham2:45 PMBREAK3:00 PM to 4:00 PMHosting Large International SportingEvents. Security session abouthosting large international sportingevents. Discussion will cover topicsincluding transportation, security,branding/marketing and legacyaround the sporting events.• Panelists:MITCHELL LANDRIEU, Mayor of NewOrleans, Chair, United States Conferenceof Mayors Tourism, Arts, Parks,See WCEF on page 20usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 19

WCEFfrom page 19Sports, Entertainment Standing CommitteeMICHAEL ANDERSON, DirectorFederal Bureau of Investigations, NewOrleans7:00 PM to 10:00 PMNew Orleans: Live from the Joy!Location: Joy Theatre, 1200 CanalStreet, Attend a special concert forWCEF participants featuring performancesby New Orleans’ mostrenowned and Grammy nominatedmusicians.Friday, May 3rd8:30 AM to 9:30 AMJazz Breakfast Buffet9:30 AM to 10:30 AMBriefing on the New Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival presented by Shell• C. SCOTT HUTCHESON, Advisorto the Mayor for Cultural EconomyOffice of Mayor Mitchell J. LandrieuCity of New Orleans11:00AM to 7:00PMVisit the New Orleans Jazz & HeritageFestival – Louisiana Fairgrounds.Take in the complete culture of NewOrleans on full display and experiencefirsthand performances by theZac Brown Band, Marcia Ball, DelfeayoMarsalis’ Uptown Orchestra, andover sixty musicians, food from chefsand restaurants around Louisiana, andcultural exhibitions of the many componentsof New Orleans’ internationalheritage.Saturday, May 411:00AM to 7:00PMVisit the New Orleans Jazz & HeritageFestival (Optional)usmayors.orgPage 20 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

Join the U.S. Conference of Mayors 2013National Summer Youth Jobs Challenge!In March 2013, The U.S. Conferenceof Mayors announced its first annualNational Summer Youth Jobs Challenge.The Conference of Mayors has partneredwith the Workforce Development Council(WDC) and the DollarWise Campaign tourge mayors to create innovative partnershipswith their local business andnon-profit communities to ensure that thenation’s youth have a meaningful summerjob experience. The Conference of Mayors,WDC, and DollarWise are invitingmayors from across the United States tojoin by completing a brief online surveyto describe their summer program. Threewinning cities (small, medium, and large)will be selected for recognition duringthe 2014 Conference of Mayors WinterMeeting for their programs’ excellence.Mayors are still eligible to join and cando so at: http://www.usmayors.org/jobschallenge.Mayors who have joined todate:Alexandria (VA) Mayor William EuileBaltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-BlakeBoston Mayor Thomas MeninoBridgeport (CT) Mayor Bill FinchBristol (CT) Mayor Art WardCharlotte Mayor Anthony FoxxChicago Mayor Rahm EmanuelColumbus (OH) Mayor Michael ColemanDurham (NC) Mayor William V “Bill” BellEast Hartford (CT) Mayor Marcia LeclercGary (IN) Mayor Karen Freeman-WilsonHartford (CT) Mayor Pedro SegaraJackson (MS) Mayor Harvey Johnson, JR.Jacksonville Mayor Alvin BrownLake Charles (LA) Mayor Randy RoachLos Angeles Mayor Antonio VillaraigosaManchester (CT) Mayor Leo DianaMiami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera BowerNew Bedford (MA) Jon MitchellNew Britain (CT) Mayor Tim O’BrienNew Orleans Mayor Mitchell LandrieuOmaha Mayor Jim SuttlePittsburgh Mayor Luke RavenstahlSaint Paul (MN) Mayor Chris ColemanSan Diego Mayor Bob FilnerSan Francisco Mayor Edwin M. LeeSeattle Mayor Mike McGinnSt. Louis Mayor Francis SlaySurprise (AZ) Mayor Sharon WolcottVirginia Beach Mayor William D. SessomsWichita Mayor Carl BrewerFor more information on the 2013National Summer Youth Jobs Challengecontact James Kirby at jkirby@usmayors.org.Thank you to all of the participatingmayors for your involvement and for yourdedication to summer youth employment!$250,000 GRANTS AWARDED“Lead Safe for Kids Sake” GrantsDEADLINE is MAY 10usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 21

Mayors, Business Leaders HighlightImportance of Wellness in WorkplaceBy Jeannie FanningMayors and business leaders joinedtogether April 3 at the U.S. Chamberof Commerce for an open conversationand best practices workshop highlightingthe topic of “Wellness in the Workplace.”Racine (WI) Mayor John Dickertand Alexandria (LA) Mayor JacquesRoy spoke on panels highlighting theirwork inside and outside city hall to motivateemployees and citizens to focus onimproving their health. District of ColumbiaDirector of Human Resources ShawnStokes spoke on behalf of Mayor VincentGray to quantify the District’s recent successesin employee wellness. ColonialLife, the Conference of Mayors partnerfor voluntary employee benefits and education,also provided wellness programbest practice examples.Dr. Robert Karch of American Universitymoderated the first panel focusing on“The Virtues of Workplace and CommunityWellness.” Colonial Life Public SectorDirector Bill Heydt explained that cities arelooking at four key areas when analyzingtheir health care plans today: cost sharing,supplier management, governance,and wellness. Cities know they need andwant to implement and expand currentwellness programs, but the already highdemands on staff makethis a slower processthan most would like.Heydt did conclude witha solution, surmising thatthe “…longevity of wellnessprograms is dependenton cost savings,” inaddition to the incrediblyvaluable, but intangiblebenefits, like improvedemployee morale.Roy expanded thepanel to include wellnessoutside city hall,explaining his city’sefforts to implement astrong smoking ordinancein Alexandria,the only of its kind inLouisiana. He focusedon the political implicationsthat these wellnessordinances can bring –including being accusedof infringing on personalrights. The mayor lookedat this from a differentangle, explaining that,“The public sector buildsthe road, so the privatesector can drive thecar.” Making a healthierAlexandria breeds abetter environment forbusinesses to thrive andgrow.Dickert and Stokesspoke on second panel,highlighting Best Practices in additionto new wellness program accreditationstandards. Recognizing the concern oftight staff time, Dickert and Racine’s “WellCity Program” bring a low cost, competitiveedge to wellness in city hall. Dickertfocused on what he called “…creating thecollaboration between employees andgovernment,” in wellness engagement.Through an exercise-tracking program,employees try to beat the mayor by anumber of weekly workouts. In the firstyear, the program saw 675 participants.Washington (DC) Human Resources DirectorShawn Stokes explains the district’s wellness programchanges since 2011.Racine Mayor John Dickert discusses the city’s“Well City” designation.The number of participants increased to754 in the next year. Efforts like this aimto bring better health to an employeepopulation that saw a health insurancerate increase of $1 million last year.Stokes has also looked at cost and timeeffective ways to help her employees inthe District of Columbia. By analyzingreports and finding the ten most commonhealth issues to her employees, Stokesand her team started a campaign aroundhighlighting the right health care choices.The issues were not just older, high-riskemployees. “Employees 21-35 were usingUrgent Care instead of a primary caredoctor. We had to focus our messagingto those employees,” explained Stokes.The district has also branded “WellnessWednesday,” one day a week to encourageemployees to get out and be active.Education and creating a healthy environmentare two keys to success for cities.Chamber of Commerce Labor, Immigration,and Employee Benefits ResearchPolicy Manager Michael Billet summarized,saying, “The U.S. Chamber ofCommerce’s event on workplace andcommunity wellness highlighted theunique partnerships between the businesscommunity and non-profit organizationsto improve health in communities acrossSee WELLNESS on page 23usmayors.orgPage 22 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013

U.S. Communities Unveils New ElectricalSupplies, Services ContractBy Kathryn Kretschmer-WeylandGraybar, a leading distributor of electrical,communications and data networkingproducts, has been awarded a three-yearcontract to supply electrical commoditiesand services to the participants of U.S.Communities Government Purchasing Alliance.Los Angeles County served as thelead agency and awarded Graybar thecontract after carefully evaluating proposalsfrom several other distributors.Graybar is a Fortune 500 corporationand one of the largest employee-ownedcompanies in North America. Through itsnetwork of more than 240 North Americandistribution facilities, it stocks andsells products from thousands of manufacturers,helping its customer’s power,network and secure their facilities withspeed, intelligence and efficiency.This award represents Graybar’sfourth term as the electrical providerthrough the U.S. Communities cooperativepurchase program. This three-yearcontract contains two additional one-yearoptions and offers services that include:inventory control, technical support,eBusiness, contract compliance, emergencypreparedness, engineering assistance,systems analysis, product replacement,system retrofits or upgrades, installationand integrated services.Graybar offers manufacturer discounts,comprehensive services packages,strategic sourcing and volume incentivesto the more than 90,000 state, local government,K-12, higher education, specialdistricts and eligible non-profit agencieswithin the U.S. Communities GovernmentPurchasing Alliance. By negotiating additionalsavings from its suppliers, Graybarhas provided additional savings for U.S.Communities participants while increasingthe depth and breadth of productsavailable through the program. Graybaralso holds the Communication/Securitycontract for U.S. Communities.U.S. Communities Government PurchasingAlliance is a government purchasingcooperative that reduces the costof goods and services by aggregatingthe purchasing power of public agenciesnationwide. U.S. Communities providesworld-class procurement resources andsolutions to local and state governmentagencies, school districts (K-12), highereducation, and nonprofits. Participantshave access to a broad line of competitivelysolicited contracts with best in classnational suppliers.U.S. Communities is the only governmentcooperative purchasing organizationto be founded by the U.S. Conferenceof Mayors, the National Associationof Counties (NACo), the National Leagueof Cities (NLC), the Association of SchoolBusiness Officials, International (ASBO),and the National Institute of GovernmentalPurchasing (NIGP).For more information about U.S. Communitiesand the various products andservices offered to local governments,contact Jeannie Fanning at 240-393-9672 or send e-mail to jfanning@usmayors.org,or Jeff Bean at 202-446-8140 ore-mail jbean@usmayors.org.WELLNESSfrom page 22the country. As wellness programs continueto evolve, businesses, with the assistanceof local leaders, will continue toexplore innovative ways to control healthcare costs by promoting better health.The Chamber applauds the leadershipof Mayors Roy and Dickert and DirectorStokes in advancing policies that willbenefit the health of citizens in their communities.”Left to right, Dr. Robert Karch of American University, Colonial Life PublicSector Director Bill Heydt, Ochsner Center Executive Director Dr. PatrickQuinlan, and Alexandria (LA) Mayor Jacques Roy.usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. MAYOR Page 23

PLAN NOWTO ATTENDTHE 81stCONFERENCE OF MAYORSLAS VEGAS • June 21–24REGISTRATION NOW OPEN AT:usmayors.orgLas Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman,Hostusmayors.orgPage 24 U.S. MAYOR April 29, 2013