DEPARTMENT: Government and Public Affairs
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Jeff Coyle, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
A Resolution of the City of San Antonio in support of the National League of Cities’ Leading Together Cities Agenda.
SUMMARY:
City Council will consider a proposed resolution in support of the National League of Cities’ Leading Together Cities Agenda for 2020. The NLC Cities Agenda lays out four principles and priorities that align with the City of San Antonio’s legislative program and are important to local leaders across the United States.
BACKGROUND:
The National League of Cities is a member advocacy organization that represents more than 2,000 cities, towns, and villages in the U.S. that represent more than 200 million people. In preparation for the 2020 presidential elections NLC created a 2020 Presidential Election Task Force to develop a platform of priorities that would elevate local issues with the individuals vying for the presidency. This task force was comprised of 28 voting members from communities across the country and included Councilmember Rebecca Viagran from the City of San Antonio. On November 21, 2019 the National league of Cities unveiled the Leading Together 2020 Cities Agenda, focusing on the principles of respect, partnership, inclusion, and accountability and setting out the following four priorities:
Building Sustainable Infrastructure:
Much of our nation’s infrastructure is in need of repair, improvement and modernization to meet the demands of the 21st century. By investing strategically, we can ensure that America’s infrastructure will support a stronger economy and withstand extreme weather events. To rebuild and reimagine our infrastructure, we ask the President to:
• Partner with local governments to rebuild and fully fund the nation’s transportation network, better connect our regions, and innovate with technology and sustainable solutions.
• Provide grants, tools and resources to support local efforts to strengthen infrastructure and make communities safer and more resilient in the face of extreme weather events.
• Make the necessary investments to ensure that reliable, affordable broadband service is available to all Americans, including those in small and rural communities, while eliminating hurdles to local innovation.
Creating A Skilled Workforce:
Investing in the American workforce is critical to protecting and expanding our nation’s economic success and ensuring that all people have opportunities to thrive. Because of the diversity of local economies, the federal government needs to empower local workforce solutions, streamline federal funding, and drive new resources to proven approaches in our communities. To advance workforce readiness in the face of changing economic forces and technology, we ask the President to:
• Boost investment in and awareness of apprenticeship programs that provide a pathway to successful careers, including industry and sector partnerships and pre-apprenticeship programs for workers with barriers to employment.
• Expand Pell grants and other financial aid programs to cover needed workforce skills training, such as short-term programs leading to certificates.
• Create new pathways to successful careers for unemployed and underemployed Americans through expanded investments in skills training and wraparound supports, such as childcare and transportation.
Ending Housing Instability and Homelessness:
Housing costs continue to climb in diverse communities across the country, leaving millions of individuals and families without enough money for food, transportation and other basic needs. The growing imbalance of housing supply and demand is putting affordable housing and homeownership out of reach for too many, while undermining economic success at all levels. This crisis is overwhelming cities and service providers working at the intersection of mental health, substance use disorder and homelessness. Effective local responses require multi-sector partnerships and a strong federal partner. To promote comprehensive housing solutions, we ask the President to:
• Ensure sufficient federal funding streams are in place, partnerships are enabled and encouraged, and federal funds are appropriated directly to the local level for mental health, drug treatment and other emergency services.
• Prevent homelessness by providing wraparound services, emergency assistance and crisis interventions for at-risk individuals and families before they face a crisis.
• Promote housing affordability by advancing new policies to stabilize and stem the loss of public and affordable housing, while authorizing new funding for pilot program that advance housing for all.
Reducing Gun Violence:
As local elected officials, we are charged with keeping our communities safe. Every day, 100 Americans die because of gun violence, and hundreds more are shot and injured. It’s time for the nation’s elected leaders to work together at all levels to address this crisis by advancing common-sense solutions to protect our communities and our children while ensuring that law-abiding residents maintain their Second Amendment rights. To reduce gun violence and promote public safety, we ask the President to:
• Convene a national commission on gun violence (including elected officials from all levels of government, victims’ family members, survivors, gun advocates, law enforcement, and others) to offer recommendations.
• Advance legislation requiring fully federally funded and completed background checks for all gun sales and transfers, consistent with state and local laws.
• Enact federal legislation that would allow judges to issue extreme risk protection orders to reduce firearm-related suicides, murder-suicides, and domestic violence.
• Provide sufficient funding to the Centers for Disease Control to conduct comprehensive research to identify the underlying causes that lead to gun violence and mass shootings in communities.
The National League of Cities is seeking individual community resolutions in support of the Leading Together 2020 Cities Agenda. At the January 14, Intergovernmental Relations Council Committee meeting, committee members considered and approved moving a resolution in support of the Cities agenda to the full City Council.
ISSUE:
City Council approved the City’s Federal Legislative Program for the 116th Congress on January 17, 2019, through ordinance 2019-01-17-0017. Included in the City’s Federal Program are priorities and issues which align with the NLC Cities Agenda, these include - infrastructure, workforce development, housing and homelessness, and addressing gun violence. Through this ordinance City Council will consider the approval of a resolution in support of the National League of Cities’ Leading Together 2020 Cities Agenda. The agenda will function as a platform for NLC and communities to advocate for nonpartisan priorities developed by elected officials from across the country. Council approval of the resolution aligns with existing Council policy and will assist in advocacy efforts in Washington D.C.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could decide to approve the resolution as presented, approve the resolution with modifications as directed by Council, or to not pass the proposed resolution in support of the NLC Leading Together 2020 Cities Agenda. Should City Council decide to not pass the proposed resolution city staff will continue to pursue the policies and priorities set out in the Cities Federal Legislative Program for the 116th Congress and coordinate as appropriate with NLC.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This resolution poses no direct fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
City staff recommends approval of the resolution in support of the National League of Cities Leading Together 2020 Cities Agenda.