Agenda - Council - 01/22/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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%53~ If your city is lille most dries, General Revehue Sharing and Community Devel- opment Block Grants are vepy important to you. You should come to Washington this spring to ]et Congress and the White House know that both programs are high on 5,our list of priorities. General Revenue Sharing and Com- munity Development Block Grants are high on any list of priorities for America's cities, and the5, %~d_]] be among 1980's most contrr~ versia] urban issues. The reason is simple. Together, the General Revenue Sharing Program and HUD's Gommunity Development Block Grant Program funnel nearly $1I billion to state and local governments each year. But 1980 could be the last yeah both programs will expire on September 30, un]ess Con- gress reauthorizes them. Reenactment of General Revenue Sharing won't be easy. The past year - brought determined efforts in Congress ~o shrink the program by eliminating or cut- ting state funds, and state participation will be a controversial issue in next. year's de- bate. And two other basic issues--the over- all funding level for the program and the distribution formula--will be just as hotly debated in 1980. The Congressional-City Conference will help prepare city officiak for that de- hate. General sessions atthe conference will be devoted completely to Genera] Revenue Sharing, and everd issue, from the adminis- tration's proposal for reenactment to the mood in Congress, ~ll be explored. Reenactment of the Community De- velopment Block Grant Program ~511 raise its oxvn difficult issues. The level of fimding for the program, the dual formula used for distributing funds, and a larger share for small cities ~511 be among the issues to be debated in Congress--and discussed in ad- vance at an important Congressional-City Conference workshop. .. Important as they are, however, Gen- eral Revenue Sharing and Community De- velopment Block Grants are only two among several pieces of business that x~511 occupy Congress in 1980. The Congression.q-City Conference uhll offer information and opin- ions on several issues of continuing im- portance to cities. THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGE~. For the second year in a ro~; federal aid to local governments is expected to be reduced in the president's budget. A workshop explore how this reduction uhll affect cities in fiscal 1981 and in subsequent years. LOCAL ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS: In 1980, Congress will' eon- sider a variety of bills intended to give cities a major role in the national effort to con- serve energy and reduce oil imports. A workshop MIl outline the programs and the support for them that each proposal would offer. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT, TRAIN- ING AND DELINQUENCY: The youth employment and training portions of the CETA programs and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act both ex- pire on September 30,1980. A workshop will del-me the role cities can take in making these important programs meet the needs of toda3~s young people. ML'.~ICIPAL FIN.~N'CE: Three im- portant Financial issues--the use of mort- gage revenue bonds, commercial under- writing of revenue bonds and Treasury regulations that unduly restrict municipal borro~hng procedures--~thll come before Congress in 1980. A workshop uhll describe the various bills and explain what is at stake for cities in each of them. Each workshop ~511 present adminis- tration and congressional officials and other experts who ~-iB describe pending legisla- tion, identify lie}, issues and show city cials how they can help shape the decisions that shape our cities. MAKING NATIONAL MUNICIPAL POLICY: The Congressional-City Confer- enee is also an opportunity to take part in the making of NLC"s National Mtmieipal Policy---the statement that guides the ac- tions of the national staff as they advocate your city's interests during the course of the year. NLC has a unique com. mitment to de- veloping policy positions that are truly rep- resentative of the entire membership. That process begins at the Congressional-City' Conference Mth a full day of policy commit- tee meetings that are open to all registered city official delegates. Morning seminars will review major federal policy issues of importance to cities. Afternoon committee ' business meetings will focus on setting a work agenda for NLC policy development during 1980. Every city official who comes to the conference can join in the policy proc- ess and can have a hand in shaping the 1980 policy agenda. To par~cipate, all you have to do is attend and state your views in the open sessions. ese impoFmnt pmgmn expire.