Number
041637
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. DAVIS, D'AMATO, HAMILTON, BAUMAN, MURPHY AND BOHL
Title
Substitute resolution expressing the City of Milwaukee's opposition to the "Strengthening America's Communities Initiative" proposed by President George W. Bush.
Analysis
This resolution expresses the City of Milwaukee's opposition to the "Strengthening America's Communities Initiative" proposed by President Bush in his Fiscal Year 2006 budget. This proposal would eliminate the Community Development Block Grant program by combining it with 17 other federal community and economic development programs, and would substantially reduce overall funding for these programs. This resolution further expresses the City's support for maintaining CDBG as a separate and distinct community and economic development program and for funding the CDBG program at the 2005 level or higher.
Body
Whereas, For 30 years, the Community Development Block Grant program ("CDBG") has created thousands of new jobs and affordable housing units and supported the construction of new or replacement public infrastructure and facilities in cities all across America, including Milwaukee; and
Whereas, Over the life of the program, CDBG has leveraged nearly $324 billion in private investment in America's communities, or almost $3 for every $1 of program funds; and
Whereas, The CDBG program increases home ownership opportunities and stimulates the domestic economy, both of which are goals of President Bush and his Administration; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee also uses the CDBG program to fund valuable and much-needed services in the areas of youth recreation and education, crime prevention, job training and placement, building code enforcement and shelter for the homeless and victims of domestic abuse; and
Whereas, In Milwaukee and other communities, annual requests for CDBG funds, which are a measure of the need for such funds, continue to exceed the amount of funds available; and
Whereas, The "Strengthening America's Communities Initiative" proposed by President Bush in his Fiscal Year 2006 budget would consolidate the CDBG program and 17 other federal economic and community development programs and fund the new combined program at $3.71 billion, nearly $1 billion less than the funding of these 18 programs in 2005; and
Whereas, The President's proposed reduction in federal funding for economic and community development programs under the "Strengthening America's Communities Initiative" is contrary to the needs of communities large and small all across America, and would be detrimental to efforts of residents of these communities to improve their housing and economic conditions and overall quality of life; and
Whereas, The National League of Cities, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties, which together represent a large and diverse set of interests and communities from across the nation, have all expressed their opposition to the "Strengthening America's Communities Initiative" and believe that local economic development, the expansion of home ownership and the provision of affordable housing can best be accomplished by keeping CDBG as a separate program funded at the current level or higher; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the City of Milwaukee opposes the "Strengthening America's Communities Initiative" proposed by President Bush in his Fiscal Year 2006 budget; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City of Milwaukee supports maintaining the Community Development Block Grant program as a separate and distinct community and economic development program and funding this program at the Fiscal Year 2005 allocation level or higher; and, be it
Further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution shall be sent to each member of Wisconsin's Congressional delegation.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB05110-2
JDO
03/17/05