INFRASTRUCTUREfrom page 1Emanuel, who enlisted the ClintonGlobal Initiative to partner with the Conference<strong>of</strong> Mayors on the work <strong>of</strong> his taskforce, gave his assessment <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> the task force meeting, heldApril 19 at the national headquarters <strong>of</strong>the U.S. Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce in Washington(DC).These circumstances led Emanuel, heexplained in his remarks, to explore otheroptions for his city, including establishment<strong>of</strong> the Chicago Infrastructure Trust,an initiative that will initially target the retr<strong>of</strong>itting<strong>of</strong> city buildings.The former President was not certainabout the potential for federal actionsin support <strong>of</strong> local infrastructure efforts.“The idea <strong>of</strong> a national infrastructurebank is one which should be done nationallybut probably won’t,” he said.Conference <strong>of</strong> Mayors President PhiladelphiaMayor Michael A. Nutter discussedthe need to do both strategies:keep the federal government involvedand increase the role <strong>of</strong> 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.”<strong>US</strong>CM 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 <strong>of</strong> Mayors CEO and ExecutiveDirector Tom Cochran, he added thatat the Conference <strong>of</strong> Mayors, “It is alwaysabout sharing best practices, regardless<strong>of</strong> the size <strong>of</strong> the city.”Clinton called on the task force to takeon a few activities to advance the work <strong>of</strong>mayors 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 <strong>of</strong> TransportationSecretary Ray LaHood joined with themayors and the former President atthe session to share his perspectives onfinancing infrastructure and how mayorsare leading on the <strong>issue</strong>. “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 <strong>of</strong> 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 Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Dr. Laura Tyson whospoke about the multiple benefits <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> rail transitin Charlotte, paying for stormwaterimprovements in Redmond (WA) to thebuild-out <strong>of</strong> “Coliseum City” in Oakland.In discussing New Orleans, Mayor MitchLandrieu said, “As we work together, wehave to find the models that work.” Echoing<strong>this</strong> theme, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reedsaid, “We are all looking for a model.”Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake praised the Conference <strong>of</strong> Mayorsfor its work on integrated planning forwastewater and stormwater. “We can’tpay for all <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> Mayors81st Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.usmayors.orgPage 4 U.S. <strong>MAYOR</strong> April 29, 2013
COPS Hiring Grants: Due by May 22By Laura DeKoven WaxmanThe Office <strong>of</strong> Community OrientedPolicing Services is now acceptinggrant applications from police andother law enforcement agencies forthe FY 2013 COPS Hiring Program.Approximately $165 million are available<strong>this</strong> year. The application periodends May 22.Grants will cover up to 75 percent<strong>of</strong> the approved entry-level salaryand benefits for three years for newlyhired, <strong>full</strong>-time sworn <strong>of</strong>ficer positions.The maximum federal contributionis $125,000 per position over thethree-year grant period. Funds may beused to fill existing unfunded vacanciesor for rehired <strong>of</strong>ficers who have beenlaid <strong>of</strong>f, or are scheduled to be laid <strong>of</strong>fon a specific future date as a result <strong>of</strong>local 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 <strong>of</strong>ficerpositions 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 <strong>of</strong> America <strong>of</strong>the 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 organizations<strong>this</strong> 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 “s<strong>of</strong>t” skills and a resume productionworkshop.The Summer Youth Campaign Grantwas made possible through a grant fromthe Bank <strong>of</strong> America Foundation, foundingsponsor <strong>of</strong> the DollarWise Campaign.Each year, DollarWise gives five grants <strong>of</strong>$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 <strong>of</strong>a larger initiative <strong>of</strong> The U.S. Conference<strong>of</strong> Mayors, Bank <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong>America <strong>of</strong> the Greater San FranciscoArea AVP and Banking CenterManager Richard Aguilar. Front row,Summer 2013 YouthWORKS participants.usmayors.orgApril 29, 2013 U.S. <strong>MAYOR</strong> Page 5