The nation's mayors send their ideas for Obama

Kingston, NY
Pop. 23,456
James M. Sottile, mayor
1. Education. Far too long the federal government has been passing down un funded mandates with the "no child left behind." The single most important item President Bush left behind was the funding for the programs he developed. We as a nation must understand that each child learns at different levels, and as we educate we cannot paint each child with a broad brush. We spend too much time teaching children how to pass exams and not enough time on the actual material.
2. Job creation. Small communities are suffering because there are not enough jobs available to help support a family. The president must focus on the United States. We must spend our federal money here at home. If the federal government made the resources available or gave incentives to companies to create jobs in America, many of the problems facing small communities would be addressed.

Olean, NY
Pop. 15,000
David Carucci, mayor
The first issue we would like to see the President-elect address is federal funding for wastewater infrastructure. The City of Olean has been placed under a consent order by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for our wastewater treatment facility’s inability to handle wet weather flows. We have conducted a wastewater master plan to systematically address the issues of our aged infrastructure. However, the city will need to spend nearly $40 million dollars over the next 10 years to address these issues, which would raise our sewer rates nearly 200% and financially cripple our citizens.
The second issue is federal funding to help municipalities promote homeownership. In 2000, Olean’s homeowner-occupied housing was 58% at an average value of $58,900 (national average 66% at $119,600). This has gone down to nearly 50%, which in turn has negatively affected our total housing market value.

North Carolina

Burlington, NC
Pop. 49,000
Ronnie K. Wall, mayor
1. Unfunded federal and state mandates for broad environmental concerns.
2. Continuous reduction of Community Development Block Grant funds.

Carrboro, NC
Pop. 16,782
Mark Chilton, mayor
We need to spur the economy by investing in public infrastructure. Sooner or later we need to upgrade deteriorating bridges, resurface roads, build sidewalks and carry out other transportation infrastructure projects across the nation. Much of this will be paid for through federal spending one way or another. I think we need to act now to carry out these projects and get construction crews back to work  --  solving two national problems at once. In Carrboro, we have street resurfacing needs, as well as numerous bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects that are awaiting future federal assistance.

Creedmoor, NC
Pop. 2,232
Darryl Moss, mayor
1. Water and sewer infrastructure. This is the key to our economic development.
2. Public safety. Improving police, fire and EMS resources.
Getting some help in just these two areas will be of tremendous value to our quality of life.

Durham, NC
Pop. 212,000
William V. "Bill" Bell, mayor
1. Addressing the country’s economic ills should be the number one issue of the administration’s priorities. The administration should develop a "Marshall Plan" or economic stimulus that focuses on rebuilding the infrastructures of America’s cities (to include the auto industry), focusing on transit, streets, bridges, water and sewer infrastructure, to provide jobs immediately. HOPE VI, which replaces distressed public housing with affordable mixed-use housing and revitalizes inner city neighborhoods, should be funded and expanded. The Federal government should direct all of the economic stimulus funds to the cities, bypassing state governments so that it reaches the cities quickly and can be put to use immediately.
2. Develop a health insurance program ensuring that all persons, regardless of their income, have access to quality health care and prescription medicines.

Holly Springs, NC
Pop. 9,192
Richard G. "Dick" Sears, mayor
1. North Carolina and Wake County are financial doners (to both state and county). We are in dramatic need of funding, especially for road development. State DOT is not in a financial position to provide the traffic capacity improvements needed in this fast-growing state. We would appreciate getting back even just what we send. Put the money where the growth is.
2. Protect Social Security at all costs for our citizens, particularly our retirees. Many my age (I am 69) depend upon this check every month, and with all the perceptions of the coming of increased spending at the federal level, they (and I) are nervous.

Laurinburg, NC
Pop. 15,874
Matthew Block, mayor
1. Taking some bold steps in breaking the link between poverty and poor educational outcomes that is so rampant in the rural South. The problem with educating the poor is not going to be fixed by pumping more money into the educational system. We need major structural changes, such as increasing the age of mandatory school attendance from 16 years old to 18 years old, coupling federal entitlement benefits to parental involvement/responsibility, and a more community-based focus to child education (graduation coaches, faith-based initiatives).
2. Giving incentives to companies/industries to locate in communities hardest hit by globalization, especially with the upcoming government-led expansion of "green-economy" industries.

Oak Island, NC
Pop. 4,805
Johnie Vereen, mayor
1. Order the banks to start lending money to restart the local economy. As long as they are holding on to their money and not allowing the business community to get their hands on anything, everything comes to a halt. I don't mean the big companies either; I mean the small companies that make up of the bulk of business in this country. Give them a cushion so they can put people back to work. Cushion means cash, not a tax break. You cannot spend a tax break, nor can you pay employees or buy products to sell. This starts the ball rolling.
2. Put a stop to not just some of the foreclosures, put a stop to all foreclosures for one year and give folks some hope. When they know they are going to lose it all they just give up and walk away and then everyone loses. If you don't fix this problem the ripple affect is never going to stop. Give them some hope.

Oxford, NC
Pop. 8,338
Alvin Woodlief, Jr., mayor
The two most important things that the new president can do for my town is get us out of Iraq and start sending money to towns and cities for local water and sewer projects and street improvements.
Second we must do something with the immigration laws. English must be made the official language of the US, and if you can't speak it you can't stay.

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