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 ...
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