AWC Legislative Bulletin - Volume 30, No. 12
March 23, 2007  (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
What You Need to Know Now
From the Director: And A Word From the Other Washington – D.C.
Energy & Telecommunications
Environment & Water
General Local Government
Infrastructure, Transportation & Economic Development
Land Use & Housing
Law & Justice
Municipal Finance
Personnel & Labor Relations
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From the Director: And A Word From the Other Washington – D.C.

By Stan Finkelstein, AWC Executive Director

This past week the National League of Cities held its Congressional Cities Conference.

This annual meeting, similar to the AWC City Legislative Action Conference, is intended to have city officials from throughout the country communicate to members of Congress city positions regarding key issues. More importantly, it is to remind the congressional delegation that "all politics are local" and that cities have a stake in many aspects of national policymaking. This year, more so then in the recent past, there was a greater receptivity to city concerns and recognition that the city perspective has merit.

The D.C. Mood

The mood in the nation’s capitol is markedly different then it has been the past several years. The transition to Democratic control of the Congress has clearly resulted in increased contentious positioning between the majority party and the Bush Administration.

While the war in Iraq and the dismissal of 8 U.S. attorneys have captured much of the media attention, there is a more subtle division starting to surface regarding national fiscal policies, domestic programs, and the roles and responsibilities of the Federal government.

Clearly, the Democrats are more supportive of maintaining and expanding domestic assistance programs; limiting tax breaks; and limiting presidential authority. The Administration wants substantial reduction in entitlement programs; rapid movement towards a balanced budget; and limited congressional intrusion into presidential prerogatives.

From the standpoint of the nation’s cities and towns our concerns are maintaining Community Development Block Grants and other assistance programs; avoidance of federal preemption of local authority; and authorization of mandatory collection by remote sellers of state and local sales taxes.

In general our proposals were well received by members of the Washington congressional delegation. There were strong indications that many of the domestic programs would be continued at the current or enhanced funding levels, and that adverse telecommunications legislation would not likely be addressed this year. Washington has a strong congressional delegation which traditionally has been responsive to the concerns of the state’s cities and towns.