Metro Economies Drive the National Economy - Direct Stimulus Funds Needed for Rapid Response

The Christian Science Monitor  is running a story worth reading. I reported in my interview that within our MAINSTREET STIMILUS we advocate that stimulus monies be sent from Washington DIRECTLY to our city and county officials that make up our metro-economies in order for mayors and county officials to move  rapidly  and immediately to quickly put people to work.

This is important for cities and counties to respond quickly to  the deterioration of the job losses that continue to  hamper economic activity of our metro-economies that drive the national economy.

Of the ten sectors included in our MAINSTREET STIMULUS, in Community Development Block Grants and Green Jobs Block Grants, the States would directly receive 30 per cent, the 70 per cent balance would come directly come to Cities and Counties that make up our metro-economies. .

The Highway stimulus funds should be distributed through the Surface Transportation Program(STP) which would provide approximately one third of the funds directly to States and the two third balance would go directly to the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) established in 1991 to provide the metro officials to receive federal money to tailor transportation improvements to meet the needs of our metro areas.

All of our proposals are based on laws that have been passed by the Congress. The statutes were approved to allow a fair balance to Cities, Counties and States.

The nation's mayors are in  total support for Congress  provide  our "cash-strapped" States immediately funds totaling billions for medicaid payments (fmap). This is the "pac-man" of State budgets and relief is needed now. Further unemployment benefits in billions must be forwarded to States to assist thousands (240,000 over the last month alone) who have lost their jobs.

We respect the great Governors of our nation and the States of our Union. But with all due respect, we are in a national crisis that calls for a substantial and fair share of  jobs and infrastructure funds be sent directly to cities and counties that make up our metro economies now.

Further, in all our MAINSTREET STIMULUS components,  the rural areas of America are provided a proportional amount of stimulus funds.

Now, at this critical time, we must recognize the urgency of this national crisis and Congress must send a fair share of stimulus funds to our metro-economies commensurate with the metropolital gross product of the metro-economies that continue to drive our national economy.

Here are the facts. The metro-economies generate 90 per cent of the nation's gross domestic product, 90 percent of our labor income and 86 percent of the nation's jobs. That is why our MAINSTREET STIMULUS is needed now.

Read: The Christian Science Monitor

Mayor Diaz: "Re-Location To D.C. Possible"

Speculation continues on Diaz Appointment to join Obama Administration.

Read: CBS4 Miami

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, 66th President of The United States Conference of Mayors-eyed for Two Obama Cabinet Posts

The Washington Post today reports that The United States Conference of Mayors President,  Miami Mayor Manny Diaz is being considered to have a primary role in President-elect Obama's  Cabinet.

Mayor Diaz is mentioned for Homeland Security Secretary or  Secretary of HUD.  Mayor Diaz is the only person in the political article that is being mentioned for two Cabinet slots.

Read: The Washington Post

Zogby: Jesse Jackson Jr. Leads Field of Obama Senate Successors

Zogby poll indicates Jesse Jackson Jr leads poll of Illinois voters to replace Senate  seat vacated by Pres-elect Obama. In press conference this week in Chicago, Pres-elect said that it was the Governor's call and he was staying out of it.

Congressman Jackson has been out front somewhat campaigning for it

Some press reports have mentioned too-Valerie Jarrett.  Her name is everywhere and being mentioned for a number of posts--HUD, White House advisor etc. She knows and understands what a city is. She is of Chicago and has been there with Mayor Daley .  I would rather have her somewhere working with cities and our metro economies. Maybe a waste to have her in Senate!

No doubt about it, she was right on during Meet The Press Sunday when she talked about the need for local governments to have the focus of Pres-elect. She has also mentioned this week that there will be a new office in The Obama White House to work with us as we go forward. 

Read: Zogby.com

Hispanic Cabinet Members?

Conference President Mayor Manny Diaz as new Homeland Security Chief or Secretary of HUD?   Also mentioned are other Latino leaders that could be a part of the Obama White House and Cabinet.

Read: 44 Blog, WashingtonPost.com

Conference of Mayors President Manny Diaz Future?

The Latino vote was strong for President-elect Obama. No doubt, many will argue that it made the difference in key states. There are a number of blogs and press reports being circulated concerning how our President-elect will include Latino leaders in our new government.

Conference President Manny Diaz's name is the subject of much speculation. See below the mention of President Diaz being the Secretary of HUD

He is also being mentioned as a possibility for Ambassador or State Department because of his close tie with Latin American political leaders.

As for mayors, LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has been chosen to be on President-elect National Economic advisory team. Mayor Villaraigosa traveled to Chicago this week to meet with the President-elect and his team.


While all say, Obama will not chose the Cabinet and his core group based on diversity---still the Latino political community will expect that their leaders are of part of the senior team

Below you will find a report of Mayor Diaz that was circulated today.

Read: Miami New Times Blog

Stimulus. Stimulus. Stimulus.

Washington DC
November 7, 2008

Stimulus. Stimulus. Stimulus. How much? 60 billion? 150 billion? 200 billion? 300 billion? When? During a Lame Duck Session the week of November 17? After President-elect Obama takes the oath on January 20? There’s so much talk and speculation that it’s hard to stay on top of it. The stimulus buzz caused Norm Ornstein of The American Enterprise Institute to say on a C-SPAN panel last night that we are entering a “Cialis” period where we are going to be stimulated for a long time.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has put $60 billion back on the table and says that is a starting point for action before our new president takes office. Other House Leaders and Senators want more now.
Press reports and leaks confirm that President Obama will propose additional stimulus spending after January 20.

So, we could have two major stimulus spending measures enacted over the next four months.

We could have a “down payment” package coming from Pelosi to jump-start the nation order to counter the worsening downturn and rising unemployment. And we could have a bigger stimulus and spending and tax measure after our 44th President takes office. No doubt, all signs and political speculation point to the need for President Obama to move swiftly with bold proposals to calm Wall Street and counter the recession.

We are ready with our “MainStreet Stimulus.” At our leadership meeting in Florida on October 4, Stamford (CT) Mayor Dannel Malloy proposed that we should have a Main Street stimulus for our cities and small businesses on Main Street America. Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums echoed Mayor Malloy’s recommendation and there was consensus for us to develop the MainStreet Stimulus proposal. Conference President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, directed me to develop a jobs and infrastructure proposal with short-term “ready-to-go” projects for our cities and metro-economies.

Conference staff and I returned to Washington to do what the mayors told us to do. Using expert information and the best advice we could get, we worked for several days together to develop an $89.9 billion jobs and infrastructure proposal in 10 sectors. It is a balanced plan and would provide federal money to cities, counties, and states. In addition, other measures call for stimulus funding to the states for Medicaid, food stamps, and unemployment benefits.

The MainStreet Stimulus was adopted by our USCM Leadership on a conference call meeting on October 20. On October 29, Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer, before the House Ways and Means Committee, simultaneously and boldly launched our MainStreet Stimulus before these two powerful committees. Both Past-Presidents did a masterful job and our MainStreet Stimulus proposal was well received.

Since the hearing we have not stopped with meetings on Capital Hill and conversations with allies to gather further support.

What makes the USCM MainStreet Stimulus package different from the $60 billion stimulus package passed by the House and the Senate package receiving 52 votes last month? While we applaud the components of the previous package, we have added three changes. First, we are proposing that a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Green Jobs Energy Block Grant must both be added for Main Street America. Further we are demanding that all highway spending be distributed through the Surface Transportation Program to ensure that local metro officials have the flexibility to tailor needed short-term projects to meet local metro needs. All three of our components give money to Governors. The CDBG and Green Jobs components would provide 30 percent of all funds to the states. Further, the STP Transportation Program provides even more than 30 percent to the states. We assert that Main Street, cities and counties are most capable of starting immediately on ready-to-go projects that will lessen the economic downturn.

To further document our MainStreet Stimulus, Conference President Diaz asked me to conduct a survey across the board to our cities hitting all ten sectors of our MainStreet Stimulus proposal. We will prove we can effectively utilize stimulus funds in short-term deferred maintenance, repair, and reconstruction projects that will meet the test of providing immediate economic relief and jobs for cities, counties, states ­­– and our nation. We will release our survey findings next week and it will be most important as we go forward to Capitol Hill when Congress returns on November 17.

We can also use this information for additional measures President-elect Obama will propose after January 20. A special thanks to all of you as you help us with this survey and continue to give us the ground support we must have when Congress comes back. Next week you must continue to reach out to your Congressional delegations. We have the answer for what they need. The American people are demanding action. We have the answer; it’s our MainStreet Stimulus. We need your help now. Please Help.

6.5 Unemployment Highest in 14 Years

Today’s unemployment announcement of 6.5 percent is the highest in 14 years. 240,000 jobs lost last month and thousands of jobs will be lost before President-Elect Obama takes office on January 20. This worsening situation proves the point that Main Street America needs our MainStreet Stimulus.

President-Elect Obama

We reflect on what Senator Obama’s election means to American and to the World. So much has been said. Not since World War II ended, have we seen such jubilation on the streets of our cities. This wasn’t about a sports event such as winning The Super Bowl or The World Series. It was a political decision made by the American voters that caused thousands to pour onto our streets with sheer joy.

President-Elect Obama won’t have time for a honeymoon or a boxed-in 100 day agenda. The new government is coming at us fast. Rahm Emmanuel is the best choice for Chief of Staff. He was the person behind the congressional victories two years ago. He is fearless and focused. We thank him for giving up so much at this time in his life. He could stay there in Congress and be Speaker of the House. He could be a United States Senator from Illinois. Devoted to his family, all of them will have to sacrifice their time with him because the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States is a 24/7 way of life. None are small measures. The President called. He came. He is a pragmatist and he will help us get things done. President Obama is smart in getting his White House Staff established as his first order of business. They can and will help him during the most challenging economic decisions he has to make now.

There has been a lot of discussion about those who “paved the way” for us to elect an African-American as our 44th President. I must mention the significance to this event that came from the election of the first mayors of African descent. It came from Carl Stokes of Cleveland when he beat a Taft in 1967. Then came Dick Hatcher of Gary, Indiana. And on and on the change, the election of African-American mayors, swept across our cities with the one and only Maynard Jackson of Atlanta and “She Makes Us Proud” Shirley Franklin. The Morials of New Orleans, Bradley of L.A., Wellington Webb of Denver, Washington of Chicago, Dinkins of New York City, and Palmer of Trenton. For the first time, with the election of the African-American mayors, a change in the mindset of many voters of all races began in our great cities through the decades before Senator Obama’s hope and change movement mesmerized us into this defining and historical moment. Today, we are so proud of our new President for our great nation and the world. And today, I pause to reflect and say that the election of all African-Americas played a part. I know that Carl Stokes and Maynard are up there in Heaven with a big smile and thinking they played a small part for America to arrive in 2008 last Tuesday night at 11:00 p.m. when the televisions all over the world witnessed Senator Barack Obama, the son of Kenya and Kansas, being proclaimed and elected to be the most powerful person on Earth.