Oxendine Leads Republican Candidates in Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) Membership Poll

As it does each year, GMA conducted a survey of both elected and appointed city officials a few weeks before its Annual Convention. The survey was successfully emailed to 2,099 mayors, council members, managers and clerks. GMA received 528 usable responses for a response rate of 25.15%.

The results are as follows:

If held today, who do you think would win the 2010 Republican primary for Governor?

John Oxendine 25.4%
Nathan Deal 18.2%
Karen Handel 12.9%
Eric Johnson 8.9%
Austin Scott 1.3%
Other 1.3%
Ray McBerry 0.4%
Undecided 31.6%

If held today, who do you think would win the 2010 Democratic primary for Governor?

Roy Barnes 44.1%
Don't Know 20.7%
Thurbert Baker 16.1%
David Poythress 10.9%
Dubose Porter 7.5%

"It is an honor to receive this support from Georgia's municipal leadership. I am committed to our local government leaders. My Administration will work as an equal partner with Georgia's counties and cities on behalf of the people we all serve," said Oxendine.

"I appreciate the hard work our municipal leaders do on behalf of Georgia. Day in and day out they make decisions that impact real Georgia families and businesses. They do so with a sense of professionalism and pride which makes Georgia a better place for all of us," said Oxendine.

"I look forward to continuing to earn the trust and support of the members of the Georgia Municipal Association," said Oxendine.

John Oxendine
Governor 2010

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The United States Conference of Mayors Celebrates Earth Day with Historic Energy Efficiency Block Grants for Cities

/PRNewswire / -- On Earth Day, The United State Conference of Mayors highly commended a new Administration for setting Climate Change as a top policy priority, including new funding for first-ever energy efficiency grants specifically for cities, counties and states.

"This Earth Day we are proud to announce close to 1,000 mayors committed to reducing carbon emissions in their cities. We are fortunate to have the support of President Obama, who is dedicated to protecting our environment against climate change," said U.S. Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.

"Cities on every coast and in between are taking advantage of every resource to focus on protecting the environment and creating a surge of green jobs during a weakened economy. These green initiatives are a win-win situation for everyone involved, all while protecting our planet," said Tom Cochran, CEO & Executive Director of The U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Last month, the Obama Administration acted to distribute $2.8 billion in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) in the Recovery Package, which will benefit hundreds of cities throughout the U.S. This is the first time in the history of the U.S. that green grants for cities are available to specifically fund energy-efficiency projects in cities.

The EECBG program was "conceived" by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and was a top priority of the Mayors' 10-Point Plan and the Mayors' MainStreet Recovery Program.

So far, more than 944 U.S. mayors have pledged support for The U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.

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Shirley Franklin and other U.S. Mayors to Meet With President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday, February 20, 2009

The nation's mayors have been invited by U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden to the White House for a meeting with The Conference of Mayors leadership on the morning of Friday, February 20, 2009. Led by U.S. Conference of Mayors President, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, over 60 mayors will also meet with Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and White House Senior Staff.

The mayors meeting with President Obama and Vice President Biden will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the East Room of the White House and will be OPEN to the press. The mayors will also hold a press availability at the White House at 11:30 a.m. immediately following the meeting (location is TBD).

Following the White House meeting, the mayors will gather at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, D.C. for a session with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization Program Director Gil Sperling, and U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office Acting Director Tim Quinn.

The nation's mayors commend President Obama and Congress for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is in line with the U.S. Conference of Mayors' priorities, and look forward to working with the Administration to implement this landmark legislation toward transforming our national economy for the 21st Century.

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U.S. Mayors Say Local Infrastructure Projects Are Ready-To-Go: Would Create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs and Spur National Economy

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The nation's mayors led by U.S. Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, today renewed their call for a MainStreet Recovery plan during the first 100 days of the new Administration.

In a press conference on Capitol Hill with House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chair Charlie Rangel, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair James Oberstar and several other mayors, The Conference released its second report that inventories local 'ready-to-go' infrastructure projects - projects that could be started and completed in cities in just two calendar years -- if emergency federal funding were made available. Information on these projects has been submitted to the U.S. Conference of Mayors from hundreds of cities in all regions of the country and includes projects in ten different sectors including Community Development Block Grants, transit, highway infrastructure, green jobs, school modernization, public safety and public housing (see details at www.usmayors.org).

Mayors stressed that investing in MainStreet metropolitan economies, which comprise 90% of our gross domestic product and drive the national economy, is the most direct path to creating the jobs and stimulating the business that can begin to reverse the current economic downturn.

In this second installment, 427 cities reported a total of 11,391 infrastructure projects costing a total of $73 billion that would create 847,641 jobs.

"We stand ready to help President Elect Obama and the Congress create sustainable jobs that fix our crumbling infrastructure and promote energy independence," said U.S. Conference of Mayors President Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.

"But to work, we must make sure that the funding is spent quickly, and not stuck in federal or state bureaucracies," he continued.

"In today's world, metropolitan economies, which comprise 90% of our gross domestic product, drive the national economy. Washington has bailed out Wall Street to the tune of $700 billion and hopes its investment will eventually be returned to the taxpayer. But our survey shows that cities are 'ready-to-go' with infrastructure projects that will immediately employ people, support small businesses, and stimulate mainstreet economies. These are real jobs that will bring a guaranteed return on a federal investment in local economies," Diaz concluded.

This report of city infrastructure projects validates the Conference's recommendations to Congress for direct emergency recovery funds that cities can invest immediately in job creation, small business activity and lasting infrastructure improvements for Main Street America.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "A year ago, when the nation's Mayors started talking about infrastructure it was not being discussed around kitchen tables in New York City or anywhere else in our country. Today, it's seen as a real way to grow the economy because this kind of stimulus is not a one-shot deal. In fact, monies invested through programs like infrastructure generate $1.50 or more per dollar spent. That's a welcome figure for anyone concerned about balancing a budget, making a payroll, funding needed services or any combination of the three. And Charlie Rangel understands that and is working to help Mayors and the cities they lead get started now. Every city here has projects that are ready to move -- projects that have been vetted locally, funded locally and will employ locally. Stimulating the economy in this way will not only leave a valuable asset behind, but will spur real growth."

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (NY), who joined the mayors and supports their effort has said, "When Congress develops a stimulus plan, it is very important we do not forget the very hard times our cities are having meeting the needs of their residents. That is why I am meeting the Mayors of several of our major cities to make sure urban needs are addressed."

"As the unemployment numbers show, the job situation is dire and getting significantly worse. As each month passes, we are reminded of the rapid deterioration of the long-term job outlook for Americans. Our metropolitan economies desperately need help at the Main Street level, and the mayors' MainStreet Recovery plan is the answer," said Tom Cochran, Conference CEO and Executive Director.

The first mayors' report on local 'ready-to-go' projects, released on Nov. 14, showed that 154 identified a total of 4,645 infrastructure projects costing a total of $25 billion that would create 261,652 jobs in metro areas. The Conference plans to continue to gather information from cities around the country on their 'ready-to-go' jobs projects.

Other mayors joining the press conference were Trenton, NJ Mayor Doug Palmer, Akron, OH Mayor Don Plusquellic, Stamford, CT Mayor Dan Malloy, Dallas, TX Mayor Thomas Leppert, Providence, RI Mayor David Cicilline, Honolulu, HI Mayor Mufi Hanneman and Bowling Green, KY Mayor Elaine Walker.

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