NLC Board Discusses Immigration Policy, Gulf Oil Spill - National ...

Official Publication of the
National League of Cities
www.nlc.org
by Gregory Michak and
Carolyn Coleman
NLC’s Board of Directors
took up a number of significant
issues during its summer meeting
last week in Riverside,
Calif. Topping the agenda were
immigration, the Gulf Oil spill
disaster and strategies for effectively
using social media.
As the national debate on
immigration gains momentum,
NLC leaders discussed the
value immigrants have brought
to the country socially, culturally
and economically and
renewed its call for Congress
and the Administration to act
immediately to enact comprehensive
immigration reform.
The Board also voiced its opposition
to Arizona’s controversial
immigration law.
“It is important the nation
adopt an immigration policy
that advances the highest and
best interests of all residents,”
said NLC President Ronald O.
Loveridge, mayor of Riverside.
“Immigration has supported our
nation over many decades and
has been a source for economic
growth and innovation for our
cities and the nation. The debate
over the Arizona law underscores
the urgent need to move
forward now with comprehensive
reform at the federal level.”
The Board reaffirmed the
policy resolution NLC members
adopted during the organization’s
annual business meeting
last fall that included the
following key principles:
• Providing greater border
security and enforcement;
• Recognizing the human
and civil rights of both citizens
and non-citizens;
• Strengthening penalties
against employers who knowingly
employ undocumented
workers;
• Creating a program for
the admission of temporary
workers based upon the needs
of the economy and over time
qualifying for legal permanent
residency;
• Providing adequate fiscal
support for city and state gov-
Newspaper Handling
VOLUME 33, NUMBER 27 | JULY 19, 2010
NLC Board Discusses Immigration Policy,
Gulf Oil Spill
by Tammy Zborel
The Sustainability Program in
NLC’s Center for Research and
Innovation is excited to introduce a
number of new resources to help
support and catalyze the efforts of
cities in pursuing sustainability
goals throughout their communities.
In addition to the resource
updates listed below, the
Sustainability Program sends out
regular e-updates containing timely
and relevant information for cities,
such as funding opportunities,
events, announcements and
resources. To subscribe to these eupdates,
send an e-mail to sustainability@nlc.org
with the following:
name, title, city, e-mail address and
mailing address. Current information
is always available on the NLC
website by clicking on
“Sustainability” in the red “Topics”
box at www.nlc.org.
Municipal Action Guide on
Sustainable Cities Released
A new Municipal Action Guide,
“Sustainable Cities: 10 Steps
From left, NLC First Vice President James Mitchell Jr., council
member, Charlotte, N.C.; Immediate Past President James C.
Hunt, councilmember, Clarksburg, W.V.; President Ronald O.
Loveridge, mayor, Riverside, Calif.; and Second Vice President
Lester J. (“Les”) Heitke, mayor, Willmar, Minn., attend NLC’s
Board of Directors meeting in Riverside last week.
ernments that are disproportionately
shouldering the costs
of the current broken immigration
system; and
• Establishing a process
whereby the 12 million undocu-
NLC Announces New Sustainability
Resources for Cities
A new Municipal Action Guide, “Sustainable
Cities: 10 Steps Forward,” was released earlier
this month as a resource for cities to help develop
and strengthen their sustainability initiatives.
Forward,” was released earlier this
month as a resource for cities to
help develop and strengthen their
sustainability initiatives. The guide
presents a sampling of discrete
action items divided across 10 issue
areas: energy, water, land use,
municipal operations, transportation,
air quality and climate, public
health, green buildings, economic
development and housing.
see page 12, column 1
mented immigrants currently
living in the United State may
earn legalized status through
payment of appropriate fees
and back taxes, background
checks, absence of criminal or
gang activity, consistent work
history, meeting English and
civics requirements, and “waiting
their place in line.”
Several years ago, the NLC
Board of Directors decided to
hold NLC’s 2011 annual
Congress of Cities conference
in Phoenix. During the recent
meeting, the Board reaffirmed
the decision to go to Phoenix to
stand with and show support for
Arizona cities that are opposing
ethnic and racial profiling.
In response to the continuing
effects of the Deepwater
Horizon BP oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico, the Board adopted a
resolution urging the federal
government to coordinate
closely and share resources
see page 11, column 1
IN THIS ISSUE
• Regional growth futures:
Getting it right, page 2.
• New Municipal Action
Guide available on improving
family, friend and neighbor
care, page 3.
• Mobile Workshop profile:
Metropolitan Denver’s Cultural
Tax District, page 4.
• Nominations open for public
engagement prize, page 5.
• Federal Reserve convenes
stakeholders, addresses small
business financing needs,
page 9.

2 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY JULY 19, 2010
Regional Growth Futures: Getting It Right
by Neal Peirce
Does it always take adversity
to get an American region to
“get its act together” in planning
future growth?
The Puget Sound area
anchored by Seattle suggests
“no.” Geology and modern economics
have blessed the region
in astounding ways. There’s the
natural legacy of glistening
snow-capped mountain peaks
and lush Douglas fir forests
beside sparking watersides.
Economically, the region has
had such world-renowned economic
treasures as Boeing,
Microsoft and Amazon.com,
excellent ports and vibrant international
trade.
Yet there’s been a dark
underside to the region’s exuberant
growth — to 4.7 million
people — over the last decades.
I vividly recall a 1989 helicopter
ride marked by spectacular
views of Mount Rainier, a rainbow
at Snoqualmie Falls and
picturesque villages. But I could
also see bulldozed “progress”
— a plethora of scarred hilltops,
deep cuts into the magnificent
evergreen tapestry.
Over the past 30 years, more
than 2 million acres of Cascaderange
forest and farmland have
given way to sprawling development.
In 1990, the state of
Washington did pass a growth
management act that restrained
some helter-skelter expansion.
But development has fragmented
open spaces, including
wildlife habitat and corridors.
With rapid expansion of the
urban footprint, added paving
has intensified flooding and erosion.
There’s concern that climate
change will bring warmer
winters with less snowpack,
leading to summertime drought,
water shortages and increased
forest fire danger.
Responding to the dangers,
a “Cascade Agenda” was
launched in 2005 — a 100year
conservation and preservation
plan for 1.3 million
acres of the Puget Sound
Nation’s Cities Weekly
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VOLUME 33, NUMBER 27 | ISSN 0164-5935 | JULY 19, 2010
Official publication of the National League of Cities
Donald J. Borut, Executive Director
The NLC Mission: to strengthen and promote cities as centers
of opportunity, leadership and governance
Publisher: Donald J. Borut; Editor: Amy Elsbree; Managing
Editor: Cyndy Liedtke Hogan; Writer/Editor: Cherie Duvall
Jones; Coordinator, Editorial Services: Laura Turner
Advertising Information: Contact Laura Turner at the
National League of Cities; Phone: 202-626-3040; FAX: 202-
626-3043; E-mail: weekly@nlc.org
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Over the past 30 years, more than 2 million acres of
Cascade-range forest and farmland have given way to
sprawling development.
region’s most prized waters,
mountains and communities.
About 225,000 private acres
have already been conserved
under the plan, which is rooted
in an imaginative transfer of
development rights.
But there’s concern that
700,000 acres of working farmland
is being converted to 10and
even 80-acre residential
lots, translating to about 18,000
housing units over time. So
there’s a new community discussion
with city managers,
focused on where new development
should be channeled, says
Gene Duvernoy, Cascade Land
Conservancy president. Draft
legislation would give the Puget
Sound Regional Council
authority to apportion the
18,000 housing units across the
cities, granting them tax increment
authority so that new
development goes “up” in existing
towns rather than “spread”
across the landscape.
But the process isn’t “antidevelopment,”
Duvernoy
insists, because developers, in
the process, can still have a
“product” — just producing it in
towns and cities rather than in
the form of outward sprawl.
“Great communities, great landscape,
a sustainable environment
— they can only work in
tandem,” he insists. “Built right,
attractive, affordable city neighborhoods
will be our best hope.”
Regional leaders are now
using the language of “ecodistricts”
— chains of communities
that feature not just low-impact
development techniques and a
range of housing types and costs
but also frequent public transit,
high efficiency district energy
systems, and community space.
The initiatives are all part of a
package it’s hoped will show
distinctive regionwide collaboration
and innovation, qualifying
the area for support under
the federal government’s new
Sustainable Communities grant
program.
It seems the Cascade Land
Conservancy’s agenda is never
complete. A top example —
restoring neglected parks to
their former glory. Seattle and
four neighboring communities
have joined a “Green Cities”
program for massive, citywide
park and open space restoration.
More than 10,000 volunteers
are involved. “It may be
decades before we are all done.
But it’s a far better investment in
a city’s quality of life to restore
a weed-choked park than purchase
new land,” notes
Duvernoy.
And now, to match the
Cascade Agenda, the
Conservancy has organized an
Olympic Agenda to cover the
Puget Sound’s western neighbor
— the entire Olympic
Peninsula, which offers some of
North America’s most dramatic
scenery, ranging from glacierrich
Mount Olympus to thick
canopies of rain forest. Yet the
collapse of the timber industry
has hit hard, while farming and
fishing aren’t providing the jobs
they once did. Unemployment
is high.
Meanwhile, the peninsula is
under economic pressure to
fragment and convert private
lands for private real estate
development, raising dangers
for both its rough-and-ready
rural character and its pristine
shorelines and estuaries.
Proposed remedies have
emerged in county-by-county
dialogues that the Conservancy
has organized. They range from
rounding up capital to replace
worn-out bridges and water systems
to “green” infrastructure in
the form of community-based
forests and well-maintained
trails to undergird both community
life and tourism.
The extension of regional
dialogue from the Everett-
Seattle/Bellevue-Tacoma axis to
the neighboring Olympic
Peninsula, from urban to rural,
from income-rich to economically
struggling territory, isn’t
totally unique. But it represents
the kind of imaginative citistatewide
approaches that the times
demand. Hard to quantify in the
short-term, the benefits of thinking,
planning and strategizing
together — jointly exploring
innovations and promising steps
for the future — could in time
be dramatic. More American
regions should be emulating the
model.
Neal Peirce’s e-mail address
is nrp@citistates.com.
© 2010, The Washington
Post Writers Group
The opinions expressed in
this column are not necessarily
those of the National League of
Cities or Nation’s Cities Weekly.
Visit www.nlc.org to:
Register for the Congress of Cities & Exposition,
to be held in Denver, November 30-December 4.

JULY 19, 2010 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY 3
New Municipal Action Guide Available on
Improving Family, Friend and Neighbor Care
by Michael Karpman
With support from the Annie E. Casey
Foundation, NLC’s Institute for Youth,
Education, and Families (YEF Institute)
has published a new Municipal Action
Guide on “Promoting School Readiness
by Improving Family, Friend and
Neighbor Care.”
Why Care About FFN Care?
The early years from birth to age 5 are
a time when young children experience
rapid cognitive, social and emotional
development. The availability of stimulating
early learning activities is a critical
determinant of a child’s future educational
success. In fact, several studies have
shown that as much as half of the educational
achievement gap that exists
between disadvantaged children and their
peers by third grade is already evident by
the time they enter school, and that this
gap will continue to grow over time.
Recognizing the importance of early
childhood success, local officials often
direct their attention toward supporting
formal child care settings, such as centerbased
care and pre-kindergarten programs.
Yet this approach fails to reach the
nearly half of young children under age 6
who are in the care of a relative, family
friend or neighbor.
Family, friend and neighbor (FFN)
care is the most common form of child
care used by low-income families with
young children. However, because of a
lack of training information and support
for FFN caregivers, an estimated onethird
to one-half of FFN care settings may
not adequately prepare children to enter
school ready to learn. Helping FFN caregivers
promote school readiness is therefore
critical to the success of any efforts to
close the educational achievement gap
and address school dropout rates.
Municipal Strategies and Action
Steps
NLC’s new Municipal Action Guide
highlights strategies that city leaders can
use to connect FFN caregivers with the
information and support needed to promote
early learning and healthy child
development. Key municipal strategies
include educating parents and caregivers
about early learning and transition to
kindergarten, connecting caregivers to
community resources, promoting peer
networking and support and encouraging
training and professional development.
These strategies were identified
through a joint, two-year technical assistance
initiative sponsored by the YEF
Institute and United Way Worldwide with
support from the Annie E. Casey
Foundation. The 2007-2008 project
helped municipal and United Way leaders
in Atlanta; Denver; Des Moines, Iowa;
Nashville, Tenn.; Providence, R.I., and
San Antonio promote school readiness
and support informal caregivers.
Local officials involved in this project
and municipal leaders from other cities
have taken some of the following steps to
implement the strategies mentioned
above:
• Partnering with the local United
Way, family-serving agencies, cultural
and faith-based organizations and the
business community to identify and reach
FFN caregivers.
For instance, the City of Madison,
Wis., has worked with the local United
Way and child care resource and referral
agency to engage FFN care providers in
early childhood development trainings.
• Developing materials and activities
that respond to the needs, interests and
cultures of FFN caregivers.
The cities of Denver and San Antonio
translate materials to support FFN caregivers
into Spanish, including Play and
Learn group resources, family resource
guides and training materials.
• Creating places where FFN caregivers
can come together for support and
learning.
The City of Fort Worth, Texas, funds
several Early Childhood Resource
Centers that offer parent and caregiver
see page 12, column 1
NLC TV to Host Segment on Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Program
by Cynthia Cusick
Throughout the year, NLC is
hosting a series of NLC TV
segments highlighting its
Capstone Corporate Partners
and their work with and for
cities.
“Our NLC Corporate
Partners Program promotes the
exchange of ideas between
businesses and local governments
to strengthen and encourage
economic competitiveness
and civic involvement,” said
Amy Elsbree, director, Center
for Public Affairs and Member
Relations, NLC. “It is a natural
fit to collaborate with NLC TV
and share our Capstone
Partners’ expertise and work
with cities.”
Later this month, Wells
Fargo will highlight the work
being done to help revitalize
neighborhoods, including providing
sustainable homeownership
and rental opportunities for
low- to moderate-income families.
The segment airs Tuesday,
July 27 at 1 p.m. ET. After the
segment airs, the show will be
archived on NLCTV.org.
Guests of the segment will
include Stephen Porter, manager
of Wells Fargo Home
Mortgage’s REO Discounted
and Donated Properties
Program, and Tyler Smith,
REO manager for Wells Fargo’s
Premiere Asset Services.
Wells Fargo is working with
nonprofit organizations to help
cities bounce back from a wave
of foreclosures that have shuttered
properties and reduced
house-price values in many
neighborhoods. Property donations
are a part of its Leading
the Way Home program, a
national effort focused on preventing
foreclosures, stabilizing
communities and promoting
sustainable homeownership
through education.
Cities can also use
Neighborhood Stabilization
Program dollars to seed property
reclamation and redevelop-
ment efforts. The Wells Fargo
Housing Foundation works
through Wells Fargo’s
Premiere Asset Services to
identify properties for donation
The NLC Corporate Partners Program
promotes the exchange of ideas between corporate
leaders and the leaders of America’s
cities in order to strengthen local government,
encourage economic competitiveness and
promote corporate civic engagement. For
more information, visit www.nlc.org/
inside_nlc/Corporate_Programs.
At Wells Fargo, we want to satisfy all of
our customers’ financial needs, help them
succeed financially, be the premier provider
of financial services in every one of our markets,
and be known as one of America’s great
companies.
to nonprofit groups.
“Fixing up old housing stock
in communities is a good way
to preserve affordable housing
in many neighborhoods,” said
Porter. “These vacant and foreclosed
homes create sustainable
homeownership opportunities
for first-time and low-income
buyers.”
Premiere Asset Services is a
division of Wells Fargo Home
Mortgage that manages and
markets default real estate
owned (REO) and pre-approves
properties for donation.
Generally, the properties have
been on the market for more
than 60 days and not generating
interest from potential buyers.
“When you can clean up a
neighborhood, rebuild housing
and then turn it over to deserving
families, it has a way of
changing a community,” Smith
added.
NLC Corporate Partners Program
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is one of
the nation’s leading retail mortgage
lenders and a leading service for one in
every seven mortgage loans in the nation.
As a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.,
it has a national presence in mortgage
stores and banking stores, and also serves
the home financing needs of customers
nationwide through its call centers,
Internet presence and third-party production
channels. Wells Fargo Home
Mortgage services loans for more than 8
million customers.
For more information, visit www.wells
fargo.com.

4 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY JULY 19, 2010
Mobile Workshop Profile: Metropolitan Denver’s Cultural Tax District
by Peg Long
Attendees of the 2010 Congress of
Cities & Exposition will have an opportunity
to experience the tangible and
intangible successes of Denver’s
Scientific and Cultural Facilities
District (SCFD). The district
(www.scfd.org) is truly a success story
in regional cooperation.
The Circumstances
The cultural tax district was created
nearly 22 years ago, at a time of need,
to preserve long-standing major cultural
institutions, whose existence was
threatened by recession, significant permanent
reductions in federal and state
funding and public backlash at paying
admission fees for the first time in the
history of these institutions.
Securing Citizen Support
As globalization continues, it
becomes increasingly more difficult to
aggregate ourselves in ways that provide
meaningful and cost-effective cultural
experiences. Towns are too small
to sustain the costs of providing and
replicating an array of cultural opportunities,
while states, at least the ones in
the West, may be too large and diverse
to address individual community needs
through a statewide process. For example,
SCFD encompasses seven counties
and a total of 4,542 square miles — an
area larger than the states of Rhode
Island and Delaware combined and
closer to the size of Connecticut.
Regions, on the other hand, provide
a vital mix of local communities working
together to solve common problems
or attain common goals. The sevencounty
Denver metropolitan area has
embraced the concept of regional funding
through special tax districts. As a
result, residents enjoy a growing mass
transit system, some of the best sports
facilities in the country, and a flourishing
arts, science and cultural community
that is the envy of many.
by Cherie Duvall Jones
The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission recently
announced a recall for consumers
to inspect and repair
Whitco Co. LP outdoor steel
stadium light poles that are 70
feet to 135 feet tall. As of last
month, the commission has
confirmed 11 incidents in
which the poles have fallen.
The commission requests
Participants of the mobile workshop
on Denver’s Scientific and Cultural
Facilities will get to tour locations,
such as the Arvada Center for the
Arts and Humanities’ amphitheater.
Project Description and
Benefits
SCFD was established in November
1988 when the voters of the counties
comprising the Denver metropolitan
area approved a one penny on $10 sales
and use tax to preserve arts, culture and
science. One goal was to provide sustainability
through general operating
support, not only to the large cultural
institutions like the zoo, museum of
nature and science, art museum and
botanical gardens, but also to mid-sized
regional cultural organizations and to
local community-based cultural organizations
as well. Equally important goals
were to increase public access to cultural
experiences as well as expand the
variety of cultural experiences. Thus
the SCFD three-tiered model was created
and continues to this day. Of the revenue
collected, 99.25 percent is distributed
directly to organizations, with just
.75 percent allocated for administration.
Since 1989, SCFD has distributed
more than $628 million to the district’s
cultural community, $37 million in
2009 alone, a challenging year for tax
revenue by any standards. Over time,
the number of supported organizations
has grown from 145 to more than 300.
All of the Tier I organizations, and
many Tier II organizations, offer free
consumers immediately stop
using the poles until they are
inspected by an engineer or a
Level II non-destructive testing
technician to identify cracking
at or near the weld connecting
the pole to the base plate
flange, as the poles can fall
over, posing a risk of serious
injury or death to bystanders. If
any cracking or fracturing is
found, consumers are to immediately
have the affected poles
repaired or replaced by a qualified
professional.
The poles, which weigh
from 1 ton to 4 tons, can be
found at facilities such as
parks, fields, schools and outdoor
stadiums.
“These poles are a looming
danger for parks and stadiums,
though nearby buildings are
also at risk,” said Inez M.
Tenenbaum, chairman of the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety
admission days and discounted activities.
As a result of this wonderful
regional cooperation and support, the
citizens of the Denver metropolitan
area are able to enjoy and engage in a
wide spectrum of cultural experiences
in ways that otherwise would not be
possible.
What Mobile Workshop
Participants Will Experience
At the first stop, tour participants
will learn how the Museo de las
Americas (www.museo.org), a small,
community-based museum, has had a
big impact on the entire district. The
museum, a Tier III organization which
received $82,000 in 2009, educates the
community about the diversity of Latin
American art and culture from the
ancient to contemporary through innovative
exhibitions and programs. With
the Latino population growing exponentially
in Denver and its surrounding
communities, the museum plays an
important role in building pride in the
Latino community's heritage and promoting
understanding among cultures,
filling an important niche in the cultural
milieu. Through its culture lab and
classes, the museum reached more than
14,000 students across all seven counties
of the district in 2009.
The Arvada Center for the Arts and
Humanities (www.arvadacenter.org), a
Tier II organization affiliated with the
City of Arvada in Jefferson County, is a
9,300 square foot, multidisciplinary
cultural center featuring galleries, a
museum, multiple venues, visual arts,
performing arts, classes and a variety of
exhibits. In addition to its own extensive
schedule of offerings, the Arvada
Center collaborates with a significant
number of SCFD-funded organizations
and others to produce programming
that draws patrons from overlapping
communities and the entire district.
This stop on the tour will inform participants
of how Arvada was able to leverage
its local government investment
Commission. “If one of these
poles were to come down during
an event in your community,
one could only imagine the
consequences.”
The poles are constructed of
steel with a galvanized coating
and were manufactured in the
U.S. and Mexico between
2000 and 2005 by the Whitco
Co. LP of Fort Worth, Texas.
The company is now out of
business.
using $900,350 in 2009 SCFD funds to
serve residents of the entire district.
The Denver Center for the
Performing Arts (www.DCPA.org), the
final tour site, is the flagship theater of
the Rocky Mountain Region, the second
largest theater complex in the U.S.
and a Tier I organization. The center has
a resident professional theater company
and offers the public classic, contemporary,
revival and world premiere plays
and musicals. By presenting theater that
is exciting, engaging, provocative and
inspirational, the center strives to promote
lifelong learning. In 2009, the
center received nearly $4.4 million in
grant funds. The Denver Performing
Arts Complex, which is owned by the
City and County of Denver, also houses
the Colorado Ballet, the Colorado
Symphony and Opera Colorado. The
tour will include a brief look at these
venues as well.
Lessons Learned
SCFD is considered a national
model of public funding for regional
culture. The significant challenges
SCFD faced initially — crafting a distribution
process, allocating a percentage
of funds to each tier, developing
formulas for distribution and assuring
local control of a portion of the funds
— all continue to be present.
Nevertheless, the citizens have
expressed confidence in the collection
and distribution processes and the value
obtained for their investment to the
extent that SCFD has been reauthorized
by voters twice since its inception in
1988, and is not scheduled to sunset
until June 2018.
Details: To register for the 2010
Congress of Cities & Exposition and
Mobile Workshops, visit www.nlc
congressofcities.org.
Peg Long is executive director of the
Scientific and Cultural Facilities
District.
Recall: Whitco Co. LP Stadium Light Poles
Can Fall, Pose Injury Risk for Bystanders
The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission notes that
its recall does not include
Whitco pole products. It also
recommends that a professional
routinely inspect all outdoor
steel stadium light poles.
Details: For more information
about the recall, go to
www.cpsc.gov, call (800) 638-
2772 or send an e-mail to
info@cpsc.gov.

JULY 19, 2010 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY 5
Nominations Open for Public Engagement Prize
by Bill Barnes and Bonnie Mann
The search for the winner of the
Reinhard Mohn Prize 2011 for democratic
governance has begun.
As one of Europe’s largest charitable
foundations, the Bertelsmann
Stiftung is based in Germany and
awards a significant monetary prize
every year. Next year, the Reinhard
Mohn Prize (previously known as
the Carl Bertelsmann Prize) will celebrate
and recognize governmental
institutions — agencies, departments,
school systems, etc. — that
have shown innovative democratic
leadership by making a strong and
by Stephanie Rozsa and
Jerin Raj
This article is the first of
two that focus on infrastructure
investment through public-private
partnerships.
Cities are increasingly
recognizing that infrastructure
projects can be a critical
tool for economic development.
Historically, most
investment in infrastructure
was undertaken by the private
sector. Government is
now the largest investor in
national infrastructure, but
severe budget shortfalls and
spending cuts are suspending
such projects nationwide.
Although the federal government
has allotted more
than $90 billion to infrastructure
projects nationwide
through the American
Recovery and Reinvestment
Act, local governments are
still unable to fund planned
projects. In fact, nearly seven
in 10 city officials report
delaying or canceling capital
projects, according to NLC’s
most recent survey on city
fiscal conditions.
But infrastructure is critical
to the health of a city; cutting
back on infrastructure
undercuts economic vitality,
demand, and competitiveness.
If a city has halted construction
of a downtown revitalization
plan, for example,
a neighboring city may
attract new residents or commercial
and real estate developments
with a similar
amenity.
lasting contribution to “Vitalizing
Democracy Through Participation.”
The Bertelsmann Stiftung has
asked Europe’s leading consultancy
in participation, IFOK, and its
American subsidiary, Meister
Consultants Group, to identify and
assess innovative projects and structural
measures that are prizeworthy.
The research team assisting in gathering
and assessing nominations
includes Peter Levine, CIRCLE at
Tufts University; Archon Fung,
Kennedy School at Harvard
University; John Gaventa, Institute
for Development Studies at the
University of Sussex; Andrea
Partnerships Reframe the
Case for Infrastructure
Reframing Investments
The market often places
unpredictable demands on a
city’s infrastructure, especially
with the changes wrought by
globalization and the current
recession. Shifts in population
and industry are often difficult
for government to anticipate
and respond quickly to. But
while cities delay infrastructure
projects, they continue to
prop up the aging cityscapes of
generations-past.
The older technologies cannot
sustain the increasing service
demands and maintenance
costs. While infrastructure
should be considered an
investment in a city’s future,
not all projects should build
new structures. Rather, modifications
to existing assets, like
retrofitting older buildings,
can fill in infrastructural deficiencies.
Each project is a strategic
step forward in developing a
more coordinated long-term
approach to development planning.
Research also suggests
that city-level infrastructure
investment has a positive
spillover effect in the surrounding
region. Specifically,
recent econometric evidence
finds that telecommunications
and transport infrastructure
play a significant role in promoting
positive regional
spillovers.
Some far-sighted city executives
are trying to turn the crisis
into an opportunity to innovate.
Some leaders are leveraging
budget stress to proac-
see page 12, column 1
Rommele, Hertie School in Berlin;
and Matt Leighninger, Deliberative
Democracy Consortium.
To participate in the search, one
can nominate any initiative that he
or she thinks exemplifies the responsibility
and role of governments for
democratic innovation. This can be a
project that the nominator has
organized, supported, led or
researched for, or it can simply be
one that the nominator has heard or
read about. Project nominations can
be submitted via the online platform
that has been established at
www.vitalizing-democracy.org.
The person who nominates the
We are Rocky and Goldie Nugget and, as
our cousins Nola and Jazzy N.O.-IT-ALL did
in New Orleans in 2007, we are here to answer
your questions about all things relating to
Denver to help you prepare for your visit to
our city for NLC’s Congress of Cities &
Exposition, November 30 to December 4.
Denver has a lot to offer and the “Mile High
City” is waiting to show you its charms and
wonders. Leading up to the conference, we
will answer your questions and end our articles
with a “Denver Nugget,” a little factoid
about our wonderful community.
This week, we received the following letter.
ultimate winner of the Reinhard
Mohn Prize 2011 will be invited by
the Bertelsmann Stiftung to attend
the international symposium and
prize ceremony taking place in June
2011. This all-expenses paid trip
offers the opportunity for one to
exchange ideas with other experts in
the field and to celebrate the winning
project at an exclusive gala
event where the prize will be presented.
In addition, all submissions will
be available for other users to view
and rate, giving everyone the unique
opportunity to promote a project to a
new, wider, international audience.
Welcome to Denver: Meet Rocky and Goldie Nugget
Dear Rocky and Goldie Nugget,
I am attending the Congress of Cities &
Exposition in Denver and I am one of those
people who likes to get my reservations and
registrations done right away. Is there any way I can register this early for the conference and
get my hotel reservations locked down? Will it save me any money to do it now?
Signed,
One Cheap Early Bird
Dear Birdie,
You and I are in the same nest! I too like to get my schedule done way in advance and, as
Goldie will tell you, I like to pinch a penny when I can, especially these days. Fortunately you
can do both! The “Early Registration” is already open online for the Congress of Cities. These
rates are only good through September 15 so it is best to act now before you get too involved
in your summer vacations and picnics.
Register now and save money at www.nlccongressofcities.org. You can also get your hotel
registration now and have your pick of the hotels closest to the convention center. So, all in all,
being early is a good thing. My advice: REGISTER TODAY!
Signed,
Rocky Nugget
Denver Nugget
Did you know that the home of the “Unsinkable Molly Brown,” one of the more famous survivors
of the Titanic sinking, is located right here in Denver? It is a Victorian-era home filled
with period antiques and memorabilia related to the Titanic sinking.
The Molly Brown House and Historic Brown Palace Hotel will be one of the Spouse/Guest
tours during the conference. Check it out when you come to Denver.
Send your questions to Rocky and Goldie Nugget, care of NLC, to memberservices@nlc.org.
Questions will be answered on a first-come, first-serve basis and as their relevance relates to
the Congress of Cities & Exhibition.

6 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY JULY 19, 2010
Spotlight on Economic Development and Finance
by Katie Seeger
As the nation’s cities and
towns continue to face severe
fiscal challenges, they are
seeking economic development
solutions that are more
informed, accountable and
effective than ever before.
Such solutions will be showcased
during the 2010
Congress of Cities &
Exposition.
“Providing real-world,
practical solutions to questions
on fiscal challenges and
local economic development
are a priority of the National
League of Cities year-round.
The conference allows us an
unprecedented opportunity to
showcase and introduce cities
across the country to these
efforts,” explained Christiana
McFarland, director of NLC’s
finance and economic development
program, who recently
authored a report on “The
State of America’s Cities on
Jobs and the Economy.”
For example, as part of an
economic development set of
workshops at the conference,
attendees will have the opportunity
to learn about a new
tool to assist them in attracting
and expanding private investment,
a sustainable tax base
and well paying jobs. The
tool, available to all NLC
members, consists of a confidential
survey and analysis to
measure local capacity to
compete for private sector
investment. Workshop attendees
will be able to sample the
survey process as well as take
home lessons learned from
nearly 70 successful pilot programs.
The conference will also
feature a workshop on supporting
high growth small
businesses and entrepreneurs.
The great majority of new
jobs in any local economy are
produced by small, local businesses
already in the community.
For this reason, many
cities are shifting economic
development priorities from
attracting new companies to
developing their own local
assets. Attendees will learn
local strategies to support
small businesses and entrepreneurship,
specifically secondstage,
revenue-generating
companies.
Conference attendees will
also learn how to break down
silos and build connections
between city economic development
and workforce development
efforts to better match
worker skills with market
needs.
Additionally, workshops
will be offered to help local
officials provide leadership
through the fiscal crisis.
Topics will include identifying
alternative revenue
sources and making financially
sustainable, longer-term
decisions about revenues,
spending and capital amidst
(and despite) the immediate
fiscal difficulties facing their
cities.
Details: To learn more about
NLC’s Center for Research and
Innovation’s work on finance
and economic development,
contact McFarland at (202)
626-3036 or mcfarland@nlc.
org.
To register for the conference,
visit www.nlccongres
sofcities.org.
Local Hiring Policies Facilitate Reentry of People with Criminal Records
by Michael Karpman
Each year, more than 725,000 people
reenter their communities from
prison, with a disproportionate number
returning to cities. Moreover, an estimated
one in three Americans have
arrest or conviction records that pose
barriers to employment, even when
those records reflect minor offenses
committed many years ago. In
response, municipal leaders have
established innovative local hiring
policies that enable these individuals
to find work, live within the law and
give back to their communities.
The National Employment Law
Project (NELP) and NLC’s Institute
for Youth, Education, and Families
(YEF Institute) highlight these local
models in a new strategy guide made
possible by support from the Annie E.
Casey Foundation, entitled “Cities
Pave the Way: Promising Reentry
Policies that Promote Local Hiring of
People with Criminal Records.”
More Cities “Ban the Box”
The guide highlights an emerging
trend in which cities “ban the box”
that asks about an individual’s criminal
record on city job applications
(see Nation’s Cities Weekly, May 22,
2006). Twenty-three cities and counties
— from Norwich, Conn., and
Worcester, Mass., to Austin, Texas,
and Alameda County, Calif. — have
now implemented ban-the-box policies,
deferring criminal background
checks to the end of the hiring
process and creating a level playing
field for all job applicants. In the past
year, three states — Connecticut,
Minnesota and New Mexico — have
adopted similar policies that apply to
state employment.
In addition to encouraging people
with criminal records to apply for city
jobs and broadening the pool of potentially
qualified applicants, ban-the-box
policies save cities money and personnel
time by requiring criminal background
checks only for those applicants
who reach the final stages of the
hiring process rather than for all job
applicants. These policies do not alter
the hiring process for jobs such as law
enforcement for which criminal background
checks are required by law.
Innovative Hiring Incentives
The guide also features a range of
other hiring strategies to encourage
employment of people with criminal
records, such as:
• Ensuring compliance with and
expanding upon federal civil rights
standards that regulate local hiring
practices;
• Using first-source hiring policies,
project labor agreements and
community benefits agreements to target
city development jobs toward people
with criminal records;
• Expanding bid incentive programs
to promote local hiring priorities
through government contracts; and
• Providing financial incentives
(e.g., tax credits, bonding programs)
for private employers who hire residents
with criminal records.
For instance, the cities of Battle
Creek and Kalamazoo, Mich., have
enacted city ordinances and policies
prohibiting a blanket ban on hiring
people with past felony convictions,
ensuring adherence to federal Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission
guidelines; these ordinances apply not
only to municipal hiring but also to city
vendors as well.
Similarly, Boston’s hiring policy,
which requires that a good faith determination
be made about whether a
criminal background check is necessary
for a given position and postpones
criminal background checks until
applicants have been deemed “otherwise
qualified” for a position, also
applies to the 50,000 private vendors
that enter into new contracts with the
city.
In Jacksonville, Fla., the City
Council adopted an ordinance implementing
a ban-the-box hiring policy
and reforming its contractor bidding
policies to promote hiring of people
with criminal records. The ordinance
requires disclosure of criminal information
only after a hiring decision has
been made and centralizes the criminal
background check screening process
within the Human Resources
Department so the information is not
shared with other city agencies.
In San Francisco, a fidelity bonding
program provides insurance to private
The conference will also feature a
workshop on supporting high growth
small businesses and entrepreneurs.
employers who hire “at risk” workers,
protecting these companies against
losses of up to $25,000 they may incur
due to employee dishonesty (e.g.,
theft, forgery). Two years ago,
Indianapolis leaders established a bid
incentive program directing the city’s
purchasing division to give preference
to vendors that hire formerly incarcerated
individuals.
Getting Smart on Crime
The growing prevalence of these
local practices reflects a new “smart
on crime” agenda in which municipal
leaders are doing more to facilitate the
reentry of people with criminal records
into their communities and leading by
example to encourage private employers
to modify their own hiring policies.
As the public officials who are on
the front lines in addressing the challenge
of high recidivism rates, municipal
leaders must confront a reality in
which two-thirds of individuals
released from prison are arrested again
within three years. Ban-the-box and
other hiring policies offer cities a new
tool for building pathways that lead
residents with criminal records toward
employment instead of back to illegal
activity and prison.
Details: To download the strategy
guide, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or
www.nelp.org. Additional NELP
resources on city hiring initiatives to
facilitate reentry of people with criminal
records are available at
www.nelp.org/site/issues/category/city
_hiring_initiatives. For more information
about these local hiring strategies,
contact Maurice Emsellem, NELP policy
co-director, at (510) 663-5700 or
memsellem@nelp.org.

JULY 19, 2010 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY 7
NLC Discussion Guide Examines Integrating Immigrants Into Civic Life
by Bonnie Mann
“Civic Engagement and Recent
Immigrant Communities,” a new
discussion guide developed by
NLC’s Center for Research and
Innovation, presents local officials
with the first steps and directions
for developing or re-establishing
efforts toward integrating immigrants
into the civic life of the city.
The publication, made possible
by a grant from the Rockefeller
Brothers Fund, provides guidance
for conducting meetings with small
groups of local leaders that are representative
of the many cultural and
ethnic facets of the community. It
includes suggested agendas, background
materials, planning considerations
and successful formats for
civic engagement.
For any community, immigration
can be a challenge and a great
opportunity. How local governments
deal with this issue can have
a major impact on the political climate,
school system, public services,
and economic prosperity.
Registration for NLC’s
Congress of Cities &
Exposition, November 30 to
December 4 in Denver, is now
open.
If you’re thinking about
attending your first NLC
Congress of Cities &
Exposition, we encourage you
to register now and take
advantage of the early bird
rates while they last. The conference
is the ideal meeting
for municipal leaders and city
staff to acquire the latest
information on economic
development, revitalization of
infrastructure, new methods
to tackle public finance,
updated public safety information,
innovative ways to
create sustainability and ways
of implementing policies and
programs for their community.
Each year, more than 2,500
local elected officials come
together to learn, share, and
network. Approximately 500
first-time attendees join the
conference each year, and
once you attend your first
Congress of Cites &
Exposition, it won’t be your
last. When you attend this
year in Denver, here’s what
The publication, made possible by a grant from the Rockefeller Brothers
Fund, provides guidance for conducting meetings with small groups of
local leaders that are representative of the many cultural and ethnic
facets of the community.
Engaging recent immigrants, and
strengthening relationships, can
have a number of benefits, including:
• Educating recent immigrants
about their rights and responsibilities
and the services provided by
local government;
• Educating local government
about the needs, goals, cultural traditions
and patterns of communication
of recent immigrant groups;
• Fostering communication and
helping to resolve tensions and divisions
between different groups of
people in the community;
• Creating an environment
where new leaders will emerge; and
• Encouraging recent immigrants
to contribute their own time
and skills to solving public problems.
Why You Should Attend the Congress of Cities & Exposition
you can expect:
• General session speakers
who are the newsmakers
and political pundits of our
day, giving you the inside
track on what is happening
both in and outside of
Washington.
• More than 30 workshops
on topics critical to
municipalities with some
workshops directed at policy
makers and others created
especially for those who
implement programs.
• More than 20
Leadership Training Institute
seminars offering in depth
professional development and
skills training to strengthen
your leadership skills.
• The ability to ask questions
and learn about federal
programs and policies that
impact your city from the
people who work closely with
the White House and
Congressional staff members
on the issues that matter to
you as a local leader.
To figure out the best approach to
strengthening relationships with
recent immigrant communities, it is
important to understand the changes
taking place in the city, consider
some potential goals for civic
engagement and decide how different
leaders and groups might contribute
to the work.
“Civic Engagement and Recent
Immigrant Communities” leads a
small group (eight to 25) of local
leaders through two planning meetings.
The agenda, discussion questions
and process information are
intended to help the group set goals,
consider different formats and
strategies and think about how they
might work together.
This publication was developed
through a collaboration of NLC’s
Democratic Governance project and
• Opportunities to create
or build your professional network
through seminars, workshops,
general sessions and
social activities.
Our expanded and cutting
edge exposition affords you
the opportunity to:
• Visit with more than
200 vendors offering services
and products that support
cities.
• Visit our newly
redesigned NLC Member
Services area to have any of
your questions answered and
learn about ways to sign-up
for programs and services that
will save your city money.
• Meet with and get
answers directly from vendors
who are dedicated to providing
time and money saving
cutting edge products and
services for your community.
the Municipal Action for Immigrant
Integration Program (MAII). It is
part of a broad strategy by NLC to
help cities encourage diversity and
inclusiveness by making City Hall
the model.
Details: To download a copy of
the discussion guide from NLC’s
webpage, go to www.nlc.org/
ASSETS/89CCEDC94B4944EAB2
F9B4B87FE3D535/RI_ImmigrantC
ivicEngagement_FINAL.pdf.
For more information about
NLC’s Democratic Governance project,
contact Bonnie Mann at
mann@nlc.org or (202) 626-3125.
For Information about NLC’s
Municipal Action for Immigrant
Integration Program, contact Ricardo
Gambetta at gambetta@nlc.org or
(202) 626-3153.
• Discover solutions and
new technologies for problems
that are facing your
community.
• Do a one-stop shopping
comparison of hundreds of
competing vendors all contained
in one convenient
exposition.
Through the NLC
Congress of Cities &
Exposition, you reap all these
benefits — under one roof.
As the economy begins to
make strides toward recovery,
this year’s conference is
a must-attend event that will
help you keep your community
on the right track toward
surviving and even thriving
in these turbulent financial
times.
Early bird registration is
now available online at
www.nlc.org.

8 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY JULY 19, 2010
Conference Explores Remittances, Financial
Education in the Immigrant Population
by Ricardo Gambetta
Recent studies estimate that
between 1965 and 2000, the number of
individuals living outside their countries
of birth grew by 3 percent, reaching
a total of more than 180 million
people. Throughout the years, remittances
— or money sent to immigrants’
home countries — have significantly
contributed to economic
growth in their home countries.
This past May, numerous economists,
academics, immigration policy
experts and government officials participated
in the 2010 International
Remittance and Financial Education
Conference held in Mexico City. The
conference focused on new international
remittance trends, the latest
financial products and the most innovative
financial literacy programs
geared toward the immigrant population
living in the U.S. and Canada,
among other countries. This event was
organized by the Inter-American Bank
and other international institutions,
with more than 700 participants from
all over the world.
According to these experts, 2009
remittance flows to Latin America and
the Caribbean declined as a result of
the recent global financial crisis.
Based on the latest studies, for the first
time on record and after a long period
of consistent growth, the volume of
remittances to the region was less than
the amount sent the year before. The
total amount of remittances to Latin
America and the Caribbean area in
2009 was $58.8 billion. The biggest
recipient countries were Mexico with
$21.1 billion, Brazil with $4.7 billion,
Colombia with $4.1 billion,
Guatemala with $3.9 billion and El
Salvador with $3.5 billion.
The World Bank estimates that
remittances represent a lifeline for
more than 700 million people in developing
countries, and the money
received is an important source of
family and national income in many
developing economies, representing in
some cases a very relevant percentage
of their GDP.
Remittances at the local level are of
crucial importance to families that
receive them. These funds are used for
families’ basic living needs, health care
services, educational expenditures, etc.
Several governments in Latin America
have developed a series of re-investment
programs in rural and urban areas
where immigrants living outside their
home country can invest in local community
projects, basic infrastructure,
and business activities in their home
communities. One of the most successful
programs in the region was established
by the Government of Mexico,
through the Institute of Mexican
Abroad in collaboration with other
entities, promoting access to financial
services in the banking system.
The biggest challenges for banks
and financial institutions are to integrate
remittance transfers to financial
services in the immigrant population
and to maximize the use of these
resources. Another issue faced by U.S.
banks dealing with these newcomers is
the lack of financial education among
immigrants. There are several case
studies across the country about the
latest financial products and services
developed to reach this important
untapped market.
In 2008, NLC’s Institute for Youth,
Education, and Families launched the
Bank on Cities Campaign to help local
officials bring currently unbanked and
underbanked residents, many of whom
are immigrants, into the financial
mainstream. The program works with
financial institutions to develop safe,
appropriate and affordable products
such as remittances, as well as services
like financial education.
The campaign also highlights the
importance of alternative forms of
identification, such as consular cards,
to be used in opening bank accounts.
Immigrants often have difficulties in
opening a bank account due to the
varying identification requirements of
financial institutions, and by incorporating
a requirement to accept alternative
forms of identification, immigrant
families can have easier access to
banking products and services.
In addition, the NLC Municipal
Action for Immigrant Integration program
recently published a Municipal
Action Guide entitled Financial
Literacy Programs for Immigrants.
This guide highlights several best
practices and case studies from across
the county, and it can be found on the
NLC website, at www.nlc.org. Only
through successful financial education
programs and financial institutions
that provide potential to access loans,
build credit, expand small business,
and save for the future can the growing
immigrant population be linked to
their families on the other side of the
border.
Some of the most important policy
recommendations from the 2010
International Remittance and Financial
Education Conference and the Inter-
American Bank include: establishment
of new international mechanisms to
deal with remittances; reduction of
remittance transfer fees; mobilization
of some part of remittances into savings;
creation of new innovative financial
products for emerging immigrant
markets, such as financial product
investment; promotion of local business
investments, the promotion of
cultural competent financial services
for immigrants and outreach activities
that would provide ways in which to
connect immigrants to these financial
products and services.
Details: For more information
about the NLC Center for Research
and Innovation’s Municipal Action for
Immigrant Integration Program please
contact Ricardo Gambetta at Gambetta
@nlc.org.

JULY 19, 2010 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY 9
Federal Reserve Convenes Stakeholders,
Addresses Small Business Financing Needs
by Christiana McFarland
Small businesses face a
host of hurdles accessing the
credit they need to pay
employees, fill orders, take on
new customers, innovate, and
stay viable. On July 12, the
Federal Reserve convened a
forum of national key decision-makers
from the public,
private and nonprofit sectors
in Washington, D.C., to
address the immediate and
longer-term credit needs of
small businesses.
“Small businesses are central
to creating jobs in our
economy … but their formation
and growth depend critically
on access to credit,” said
Ben Bernanke, chairman of
the Federal Reserve System.
“We must seek an understanding
of the many dimensions
of the financing challenges
of small businesses
and a solution that, like small
businesses themselves, is not
one-size-fits-all. Our success
requires collaboration among
the federal government, community
develop financing
institutions, banks, small
businesses and trade groups,
government agencies and
other public, private and nonprofit
entities.”
This capstone forum
comes on the heels of 40
meetings across the country
hosted by the Federal Reserve
System’s Community Affairs
Offices this year. The forum
and the national meetings
uncovered key themes about
the credit environment of
small businesses, including:
• Factors impacting the
supply of small business credit,
such as tighter bank underwriting
standards, resource
constraints on lending, impact
of regulatory guidance and
utilization of alternative funding
sources.
• Factors impacting the
demand for small business
credit, such as reduced credit
equity, reduced confidence, a
need for additional technical
assistance and government
contracting and entrepreneurship.
• Significant credit gaps
that have emerged as a result
of disruptions to the supply
and demand of credit, including
inability to refinance
loans, difficulty of small businesses
in distressed industries
to secure loans as banks
decrease exposure in industries
with high loss rates and
increased need of patient capital
to finance equipment, hire
employees and other expenditures
that require longer
repayment periods.
During a panel highlighting
the public and non-profit
sector roles in small business
finance, Lesia Bates Moss,
president, Seedco Financial
Services, reiterated the
importance of partnerships in
assisting small businesses.
“Everyone needs to have skin
in the game. Know the needs
of your business community,
know who the partners are,
and know the strengths that
you bring to the table to help
fill the gaps and to help small
businesses succeed.”
Bates Moss’ message has
specific implications for local
governments. Local officials
can determine the resources
they bring to bear in supporting
the credit needs of small
businesses.
In some cases, local governments
may take a lead role
in providing capital with a
non-profit or private sector
Solutions for Moving Communities Forward
Nov 30 – Dec 4 | Colorado Convention Center | Denver, Colorado
REGISTER NOW at www.nlccongressofcities.org to secure lower rates and prime housing
HOLDING THE LINE ON REGISTRATION RATES!
NLC’s Center for Research and Innovation will soon launch a
new small business initiative to conduct research, identify
innovative local solutions, and provide assistance to
local governments.
“I am delighted to welcome
municipal leaders from across
the country to Denver, Colo. It
is absolutely necessary that we,
as city leaders, take the initiative
and come together to share
strategies for adapting to and
ultimately prospering in this
new economic climate.”
John W. Hickenlooper, Mayor,
Denver, Colorado
In order to make attending the Congress of Cities a reality for as many city officials as possible, NLC is holding the
line on registration costs and extending the $415 early rate for NLC members until September 15.
management partner, such as
in San Buenaventura, Calif.
They may also connect small
businesses with state and federal
programs, support networks
of angel investors, or
convene community stakeholders
to identify a collaborative
solution.
NLC’s Center for Research
and Innovation will soon
launch a new small business
initiative to conduct research,
identify innovative local solutions,
and provide assistance
to local governments. For
more information about
NLC’s Center for Research
and Innovation’s work on
finance and economic development,
contact Christiana
McFarland, program director,
at mcfarland@nlc.org.

10 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY JULY 19, 2010
For more information about the 18th Annual Leadership Summit, go to www.nlc.org.

JULY 19, 2010 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY 11
Board, from page 1
with local governments in all
phases of the response to the
spill, and focuses on ensuring
cleanup for the Gulf region and
accountability for those responsible.
“NLC calls on the United
States government, through an
agreement with BP, to provide
additional resources for local
cleanup efforts, economic losses
and other financial assistance
to local governments, ensuring
that these resources are provided
in a timely manner,” the resolution
states.
The resolution also states,
by Laura Turner
Boston Farmers’ Market Aids
Homeless Program
Boston’s Victory Programs, a nonprofit
provider of housing and services
to homeless clients with mental illness,
chronic disease and substance abuse
issues, has opened a farm stand that will
provide the Dorchester and Mattapan
neighborhoods with fresh produce
while helping support a shelter for
homeless women and their children.
The farm stand is situated on a cityowned
parcel that had been vacant
since coming into the Department of
Neighborhood Development’s property
inventory through a 1998 tax-title foreclosure.
It is part of a city initiative to
make locally grown produce available
in communities that have had limited
access to healthy food.
“By offering fresh produce grown
right in the neighborhood, this new
farm stand will make healthy food
options available to everyone in the
community,” said Mayor Thomas M.
Menino at the June 10 ribbon-cutting
ceremony.
“Victory’s programs have helped
hundreds of homeless women and their
children make healthy choices while
moving to housing stability and independence.
Now, this organization is
helping to close the gap on health dis-
“the federal government, along
with the National Commission
on the BP oil spill, must provide
research, analysis and recommendations
that ensure federal,
state and local governments
will have the plans, resources
and capacity to address and
respond to future man-made
disasters.”
The Board of Directors also
held a strategy session on how
NLC can utilize social media as
part of its outreach efforts.
Chris Kingsley of the
University of Pennsylvania’s
Fels Institute presented his
research on how cities are utilizing
social media in their
everyday communications
parities while increasing access to
affordable, nutritious, locally grown
produce for families living in our
neighborhoods.”
The produce is grown at Victory’s
nearby ReVision Urban Farm, which
provides food for shelter residents and
others while operating a job readiness
program. The farm is located on a former
abandoned lot across the street
from the ReVision Family Home, the
Victory program that the farm stand
will help support.
The farm stand offers a 50 percent
discount to those enrolled in the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP). The program, called
Boston Bounty Bucks, is a partnership
between the city’s Emergency Shelter
Commission, the non-profit Food
Project and neighborhood farmers’
markets.
Details: Mayor’s Press Office at
(617)635-4461
The resolution also states, “the federal government, along
with the National Commission on the BP oil spill, must
provide research, analysis and recommendations that ensure
federal, state and local governments will have the plans,
resources and capacity to address and respond to future
man-made disasters.”
efforts and led a discussion on
the implementation and use of
social media in NLC’s outreach
efforts to members, media and
the public.
The Board also received an
update on NLC’s collaboration
with the White House on First
Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s
NEWSBRIEFS
Move Cities and Towns initiative,
which engages mayors and
other municipal leaders in the
fight to eliminate childhood
obesity.
Finally, in addition to adopting
the organization’s fiscal
year 2011 budget, the Board
also endorsed ongoing efforts
“By offering fresh produce grown right in the
neighborhood, this new farm stand will make
healthy food options available to everyone in the
community.”
Classified Rate
Schedule
Rates: $12.00 per line for print
and online issues. After three insertions
(no copy changes), the fourth
insertion is free. Insertions need
not be consecutive, but may be
spread over three months or less.
— Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino
Mesa, Ariz., Combats Copper
Wire Theft
Mesa, Ariz.’s, Transportation and
Police departments are alarming and
monitoring streetlight electrical junction
boxes in the next steps to prevent
thefts of the copper wire that conducts
the electricity.
For the past several years, Mesa
and neighboring communities have
been impacted by thieves who sell the
wire and other metals to recyclers for
quick cash. Since 2003, the city has
spent more than $1 million to replace
wire.
In 2007, Mesa launched a “Stop the
Metal-ing in Mesa” campaign to raise
awareness of the dangers caused by
such thefts and enlist residents to help
deter them.
“The theft of copper wire is not only
dangerous for the thief but also dangerous
for pedestrians, drivers using the
Deadline: Week before first insertion.
Terms: Publisher reserves the
right to reject any advertising
deemed unsuitable. Only open ads
will be accepted.
Mail advertising copy to:
Classified Advertising Sales
Manager, Nation’s Cities Weekly,
of the 2010 governance task
force and the NLC staff, in
consultation with NLC members,
to strengthen opportunities
for members to engage
with NLC and to help the
organization achieve its mission
and aspirations on behalf
of cities.
darkened streets and residents living
along them,” said Transportation
Department Director Dan Cleavenger.
Replacing the stolen wire diverts
repair crews from dealing with normal
streetlight outages.
Several years ago, a baseball tournament
had to be relocated when 3,500
feet of wire were stolen from the stadium
lights at Red Mountain Park.
As part of the campaign, a colorcoding
system was developed to identify
wire so recyclers would know if it
was stolen from a city streetlight or
construction site. Contractors are being
advised to store wire away from job
sites.
The State of Arizona enacted a law
requiring scrap metal sellers to provide
identification and disclose where the
metal came from. The recyclers must
now document sales like pawn shops do
and pay sellers by check rather than
cash.
The Police Department has stepped
up the monitoring of scrap meter recyclers.
“We monitor scrap metal transactions
and conduct unscheduled inspections
of recyclers to ensure they are
using proper business practices,” said
Detective Kevin Cormier.
Details: Public Information and
Communications Specialist Melissa
Randazzo at (480) 644-3219 or melissa.randazzo@mesaaz.gov
CLASSIFIEDS AND PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY
1301 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20004.
FAX advertising copy to:
Nation’s Cities Weekly at (202)
626-3043, to the attention of Laura
Turner.
E-mail advertising copy to:
Weekly@nlc.org to the attention of
Laura Turner.

12 NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY JULY 19, 2010
Sustainability, from page 1
Recommendations for action were
selected based on applicability and
adaptability across cities regardless
of population size, geography, or
level of experience or involvement
with sustainability initiatives. The
guide was developed in partnership
with The Home Depot Foundation,
and it is now posted on the NLC website.
Sustainability Survey
Coming Soon
The Sustainability Program
announces the launch of NLC’s first
national survey on locally-led sustainability
efforts. The survey will
collect information on the internal
structure and goals of city sustainability
programs or departments and
seeks to learn more about specific
programs, policies and initiatives
that cities have implemented to
Guide, from page 3
education programs, libraries for
materials that parents and FFN
providers can use with children
in their care, consultation with
early childhood development
specialists and facilitated support
groups.
• Assessing needs and
building capacity in the community
over time.
In Seattle, the city and
local community organiza-
Infrastructure, from page 3
tively restructure government management,
strategically modernize delivery
systems, and find creative ways to raise
new revenues to better serve residents
and support greater growth and prosperity
over the long haul.
While the recession is diminishing
the municipal pocketbook, it is also
lowering building and equipment costs,
making large-scale infrastructure projects
more cost-effective. And not only
does investing in infrastructure provide
for better bridges, buildings, and services,
but it creates much-needed jobs. In
fact, infrastructure expenditures have
the highest rate of return on employment
numbers: for every $1 billion in
infrastructure spending, an estimated
18,000 jobs are created.
Public-Private Partnerships
Infrastructure is a serious investment
with a sizeable price tag. City officials
are increasingly looking to accomplish
their project goals with a private sector
partner. Public-private partnerships
advance related goals — whether or
not they’re part of a comprehensive
sustainability program.
The survey will be sent this summer
via e-mail to a large sample of
cities and results will be released at
the 2010 Congress of Cities &
Exposition, to be held November 30
to December 4 in Denver.
Call for Sustainability
Models
NLC is developing a new national
resource of locally-led sustainability
practices and policies and is
reaching out to cities to help populate
it with examples of the best initiatives.
Submissions are currently
being accepted for programs, policies
and resources in the following
areas:
• Energy efficiency;
• Green buildings and operations;
• Green procurement and purchasing;
and
tions used a statewide survey
of FFN caregiving conducted
by the University of
Washington to determine
where there were gaps in
services for FFN care
providers and to develop new
professional development
opportunities.
• Embedding efforts to
improve FFN care in larger
structures and initiatives to
support early childhood success.
For example, the City of
(PPPs), often used interchangeably
with privatization, are not revolutionary;
they have been used in the United
States long before it declared independence.
They have, however, revolutionized
the provision of public infrastructure-based
services since the 1980s.
Today, the average American city
works with private partners to perform
23 out of 65 basic municipal services.
Privatization is not simply the transfer
of public assets to the private sector;
rather it includes a wide range of activities.
In fact, there are several types of
privatization engaged in by municipalities:
• Contracting out (outsourcing) is
the most prevalent form of municipal
privatization wherein either new services
or services previously performed by
public sector employees are purchased
or contracted from another party.
• Competitive contract bidding
between private service providers and
municipal departments or offices.
• Vouchers used by citizens to purchase
services in the private marketplace.
• Asset sales by the municipality to
the private sector may include land,
Richmond, Va., partners with
the United Way of Greater
Richmond on various aspects
of its early care and education
work, including efforts to
• City sustainability plans.
If a city is doing work in any of
these areas and would like to share
experiences with others, send an email
to sustainability@nlc.org containing
contact information (name,
title, e-mail address) for the program
and/or the city’s sustainability
officer and details about the program
or policy.
There are no length requirements
or forms to submit. Just send what
others would like (and need) to
know about the program. For example,
send a brief description and/or
an existing summary, report, article,
press release, link to the website,
photos, etc.
All applicable submissions will be
eligible to be highlighted on the NLC
and/or The Home Depot Foundation’s
Sustainable Cities Institute websites,
included in articles, publications,
blogs, webinars, and workshop panels
and considered for the City Showcase
at NLC’s annual Congress of Cities &
Exposition.
support FFN caregivers.
Details: To download the
Municipal Action Guide, visit
www.nlc.org/iyef. For more
buildings, utilities, or other property.
• Government corporations are
quasi-government agencies that are
subject to overall regulation but function
more as a private business. While
these occur at the municipal level, they
are more common at the federal level.
• Volunteer partnerships conduct
functions mostly by volunteer effort
and usually bolstered by municipal
funding and/or staff.
• Complete privatization of a service
does not involve the municipality in
EECG Program Success
Stories
Continued funding for the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block
Grant (EECBG) program is an ongoing
legislative priority for NLC. To
demonstrate the impact these funds
have had in cities across the country,
NLC has been collecting stories from
the field to both assist its advocacy
efforts and to highlight the important
and innovative work cities are doing
to promote energy efficiency and
conservation in their communities.
To better assist EECBG grantees
access information and resources,
NLC has also started sending eupdates
containing the latest program
guidance and announcements from
the Department of Energy. If a city
has received EECBG funds and
would like to share information about
programs completed or in progress as
a result of these funds, or to be added
to the EECBG e-mail list, send an email
to sustainability@nlc.org.
In Seattle, the city and local community organizations used a
statewide survey of FFN caregiving conducted by the
University of Washington to determine where there were gaps
in services for FFN care providers and to develop new
professional development opportunities.
The City of Baltimore recently
initiated a five-year joint venture
with Ports America Chesapeake to
update the Seagirt Marine Terminal.
At $106 million, the investment was
too expensive for the city to finance
alone. The modifications, which
will allow for cargo to be received
and mobilized more efficiently,
enable Baltimore to hold its rank as
one of the top U.S. ports.
any way.
information on NLC’s initiatives
to help municipal leaders promote
early childhood success,
contact Tonja Rucker at (202)
626-3004 or rucker@nlc.org.
Details: To learn more about infrastructure
and privatization, please contact
the authors at policy2@nlc.org.
A follow-up to this article will discuss
the many examples of successful
partnerships that make clear the benefits
of privatization. It will also discuss
the many considerations of partnering
with the private sector, from negotiating
a solid contract to creative financing.
Partnership in the Spotlight
The project will create 3,000
one-time construction jobs and
2,700 direct, indirect or induced
jobs over the course of the next
three years and will generate nearly
$16 million in new taxes for the
state. In addition, Ports America
agreed to pay more than $100 million
to the state of Maryland for
road, bridge and tunnel modernization.