Nation’s Mayors Support Gay Marriage But Complain About Unemployment

DC, Washington, United States (AHN) – The U.S. Conference of Mayors wrapped up its winter meeting Friday in Washington, D.C., with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel stepping into controversies on same sex marriage and education.

Emanuel joined about 80 other mayors from across the nation in endorsing laws to give legal recognition to same sex marriage, along with the tax breaks and other benefits spouses can share.

The mayors signed on to a statement that said, “Our cities derive great strength from their diversity and gay and lesbian families are a crucial part. Studies have shown what we know through our hands-on experience that cities that celebrate and cultivate diversity are the places where creativity and ideas thrive.”

Emanuel supported the Illinois Legislature’s effort last year to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples.

He said New York did “a good thing” last June when state lawmakers legalized gay marriage.

In separate comments Friday, Emanuel discussed his plan to turn Chicago’s community colleges into training institutions for the city’s employers.

Currently, Chicago’s City Colleges have a graduation rate of about 7 percent and job prospects for graduates that are “not as high,” Emanuel said.

His plan calls for each of the city’s seven community colleges to operate with specialties, such as health care, transportation, hospitality and manufacturing.

In addition, employers would be brought in to develop curricula that would train the students to become their employees.

“I want it to have economic value” to attend college, Emanuel said at the downtown Washington hotel where about 250 mayors were meeting.

Turning colleges into job training institutions is controversial among some academics, who say a well-rounded education requires liberal arts courses that include literature, history and the arts.

Nevertheless, job creation and recovery from the economic disaster of the Great Recession were dominant themes throughout the meeting this week.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors released a report that said the nation’s metropolitan areas will struggle for five more years to regain jobs lost during the recession that started in September 2008.

“The recovery is very uneven across U.S. regions, with the southeastern and southwestern metro [areas that] were the most affected by the housing bubble looking ahead to years of recovery,” the report says.

U.S. nonfarm payrolls will grow about 1.3 percent this year, which is unlikely to reduce the unemployment rate below 8 percent, according to a report by IHS Global Insight.

The report predicts the nation will regain nearly half the jobs lost during the Great Recession by the end of 2012.

The mayors used the economic report to try to prod Congress to approve legislation that would create more jobs.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, president of the Conference of Mayors, said “Congress has jumped ship” in its obligation to stimulate the economy and employment.

However, Villaraigosa acknowledged cities will have a hard time squeezing money out of Congress at a time the federal government is trying to reduce its deficit by cutting spending.

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U.S. Mayors Cutting Road Repairs, City Services As Result of Economic Downturn

New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Nearly 70 percent of American mayors are cutting back on road maintenance and projects as a result of the prolonged economic downturn, based on a new Harris Interactive survey commissioned by Reader’s Digest.

The survey found road services to be the most cited way for local governments to reduce costs. As cutbacks are occurring in every corner of local government, the impacts are affecting not only core city services but the quality of life of citizens.

“This Harris poll confirms that despite all the talk of economic recovery our towns and cities are still hurting,” commented Dan Lagani, president of Reader’s Digest Media.

Recent data suggests nearly two in every five cities have reduced police or fire department staff or services as a result of the struggling economy. Another 40 percent are cutting library service while nearly a quarter have drastically slashed after-school and extracurricular programs for kids.

Despite exhibiting cautious optimism for the long-term financial health of their communities, the survey found, three out of four city leaders said they expect financial challenges to worsen in the coming year, and 39 percent said the worsening will be substantial:

• Some of the primary areas local legislators have already cut back include:
• Reduced maintenance and services at parks and gardens (41 percent)
• Reduced hours, staff or services at local libraries (39 percent)
• Reduced hours or closing of recreational facilities (30 percent)
• Cancellation of town-sponsored festivals and events (28 percent)
• Reduced/cancelled after-school programs targeting kids (22 percent).

Should the economic downturn continue, municipalities said they will be affected in several key ways, among them:

• Reducing maintenance and/or canceling road, highway, or bridge projects (69 percent)
• Canceling or delaying planned building projects (63 percent)
• Cutting services and/or staff in police and fire departments (41 percent).

Despite the budget constraints, the mayors were resisting cutting back on services that have an immediate impact on residents. Only 9 percent said they have reduced public transit service; just 6 percent have reduced assistance to needy citizens; and only 2 percent say they have cut services or staff in city-run hospitals.

Mayors noted that both citizens and city employees were rising to the challenges of keeping their communities strong. Among the actions being taken, according to mayors:

• 63 percent said city workers were accepting early retirement or reduced overtime
• 41 percent said volunteerism were increasing in their city
• 30 percent said there were increased town-hall meetings to discuss needed changes and cutbacks
• 22 percent said the city had received private financial donations to help offset service cutbacks.

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