The nation's mayors send their ideas for Obama

St. Albans, VT
Pop. 7,650
Martin Manahan, mayor
I will make this simple: The President should put an executive order out that would relieve any municipality from the obligation of local matches to any federal earmarks, grants, etc., that the municpality has recieved. That would allow a number of projects to move forward immediately and would as a result stimulate the economy. We have a number pf projects that we could get started on but for the local match. I would also bet that these projects could be done for much less than originally thought, because of the economy and the competition for them. As a result, the same project would be done for the amount of the federal monies.

Virginia

Blacksburg, VA
Pop. 39,573
Ron Rordam, mayor
1. Climate change : Support and fund alternative energy sources, energy block grants and stronger CAFE standards.
2. Community Development Block Grants: Continue to support and fund this program.

Charlottesville, VA
Pop. 45,049
Dave Norris, mayor
1. Support for revitalization of public housing. Our nation's stock of public housing is crumbling, and the federal government has been systematically disinvesting in its upkeep. We need increased funding and support for local efforts to transform public housing from pockets of poverty, crime and neglect to thriving, mixed-income, mixed-use communities with improved employment and housing opportunities for residents.
2. Support for transit. Improving our nation's public transportation system addresses several key challenges at once: It improves access to jobs and services for our residents, it reduces congestion on our roadways, and it reduces carbon emissions into our atmosphere. We need transit that goes more places more frequently, more reliably, more efficiently and in a more user-friendly manner. Cash-strapped localities need more help from the federal government to assist with the costs of making such improvements.

Hopewell, VA
Pop. 22,354
Brenda Pelham, mayor
1. The number 1 priority should be implementing strategies, policies, and whatever it will take to get our economy moving again. I believe we can do so by bringing American companies back home where they belong. It amazes me how American executives/owners of companies state "they love America." They really don't; they really love that $$$ bill more than America.
2. Second priority should be national security and getting out of wars. I am a 12-year veteran of the Army and I think an objective of any nation should be promoting peace not war!!!
3. If there was a third priority it should be education. It is my belief that the more educated any society is, the better it will be able to sustain itself in the out years. Education simply affords individual citizens to think better logically and be deterred from criminal activity including using and selling drugs.

Leesburg, VA
Pop. 38,000
Kristen Umstattd, mayor
1. My top issue: make health insurance and health care affordable for all Americans, especially children. All private health care insurance companies should be required to enroll children, regardless of whether a parent is also enrolled.
2. My second request would be to reform our foreigh trade agreements, among them NAFTA, so that companies that hire Americans would receive preferential tax or tariff treatment and those that outsource jobs to other countries would have to pay higher taxes and/or tariffs for any goods or services sold in the U.S.

Martinsville, VA
Pop. 15,416
Kathy Lawson, mayor
1. When President Elect Obama was in our city he talked about jobs. NAFTA took away all of our textile jobs and we are now losing furniture jobs by the day. Specifically, how do you plan to revitalize the job market?
2. There has been considerable discussion about health care for all citizens. As we know, Canada and France have a free health care system, but it has it's issues. Without crippling the small business owner, how do you plan to address health care for our uninsured citizens?

Radford, VA
Pop. 15,859
Tom Starnes, mayor
1. Get the economy moving forward. The economy is moving at a snail's pace, most major manufacturing segments of the economy are in decline, and as a result the unemployment rate is increasing. Sales in housing as well as retail are declining.
2. Get spending at the federal level under control. The Federal budget is a joke, for the fiscal year just ending spending drastically exceeding revenue. Next year (the current fiscal year), the deficit will be even greater. The giveaway programs of the federal government are a disgrace. If the federal government desires to stimulate the economy, create jobs by improving the nation's infrastructure -- do not just give individuals money for doing nothing. This is simply renewing the failed welfare programs of the past.

Washington

Bremerton, WA
Pop. 37,259
Cary Bozeman, mayor
1. Economic stimulus to support jobs and infrastructure. Much like the old WPA program. Must get to cities and local governments.
2. Get out of this war that is burning billions of dollars every month.

Poulsbo, WA
Pop. 6,813
Kathryn Quade, mayor
I would suggest investment in repairing infrastructure: Sewer and Stormwater repairs and upgrades; elimination of inflow and infiltration; low-impact development incentives. Transportation projects to repair aging City streets. Completion of the SR 305/SR3 interchange at Olhava  --  missing the southbound leg. Financial assistance (money into the funding pots  --  public works trust fund, etc.) for public infrastructure projects and "green" money to support public green projects. Permanent funding for the Poulsbo Marine Science Center  --  lifelong learning opportunities for all. The North Kitsap School District community pool  --  maintenance and operations  --  healthy alternatives for all.

Washougal, WA
Pop. 8,595
Stacee Shawnee Sellers, mayor
1. Main Street stimulus. This package is imperative for local job retention and creation and infrastructure improvement. Our city has been growing quickly, and not had the funds available to make our infrastructure as sustainable, or long-term reliant as we'd like it to be. Continued funding is needed to assist small communities like mine to create the best live/work environments possible.
2. Energy efficiency and conservation block grant program. To let small cities like Washougal improve energy efficiency, lower energy usage, and reduce fossil fuel emissions we need government assistance. We need money for education, plan creation, and implementation. Without support from you, our president-elect, we will be unable to move forward and lower our impact on the natural resources found in our area and around the world.

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