Mayors push for grants, additional programs
Strickland among those attending DC meeting
WASHINGTON – The mayors of two of Tennessee’s largest cities joined other mayors from across the country in Washington this week to send a message to the Trump administration and members of Congress: Don’t forget about us.
Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero was part of a bipartisan group of mayors that met with federal lawmakers Thursday on a number of issues, including infrastructure investment, immigration and public safety and the impact of the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
“We want to be a part of the conversation,” Rogero said. “There are many issues they are addressing now in Congress that will dramatically impact the quality of life and the economic stability of cities. We wanted to share those concerns with them.”
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland also joined a group of mayors from 18 cities along the Mississippi River for a series of meetings on Wednesday with the White House and members of Congress to argue for additional funding for programs to maintain and restore the infrastructure that manages America’s largest waterway.
In his speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, President Trump promised to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure. Mayors want to make sure the Mississippi River is included in that package.
“We consider the river itself infrastructure,” Strickland said.
The Mississippi River mayors are pushing for nearly $8 billion in investment, most of which would be covered by funding existing programs at near their current levels. The programs include grants for water control pollution, flood mitigation and river infrastructure and ecosystem.
In their meetings, Rogero and the bipartisan group of mayors organized by the U.S. Conference of Mayors made the
state budget.
“One of the challenges in front of us is maintaining the safety of our roads and bridges,” Haslam said, later adding, “This is an important decision facing the state of Tennessee, and it’s one that has long-term ramifications for all of us.”
The challenge for Haslam is getting his proposal through a divided legislature. While some don’t want any increase in the gas tax, others are floating suggestions on increases anywhere from 4 to 9 cents coupled with different cuts to the sales tax and other measures.
In the audience Thursday night were numerous state legislators, including Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville. Norris, who is considering a run for governor in the next election, would not commit to Haslam’s plan Thursday night.
“I think everyone agrees that more attention needs to be given to infrastructure,” Norris said. “The question is how we pay for it.”
Norris didn’t specify what numbers he had in mind, but said he was concerned about how Haslam’s plan would affect individual Tennesseans. While Haslam has said that his plan is revenue neutral for the state, Norris was concerned that might not be the case for the individual taxpayer. But if that can be reached, he said, he believes the measure will be passed in this session.
“The House and Senate are looking for ways to equalize the increases with offsetting decreases,” Norris said, adding that he believes the state’s deteriorating bridges are the most immediate concern. “If we can get to a revenue neutral reality, we have a fair chance.”
Other state legislators in the audience Thursday also thought some version of Haslam’s plan had a good chance of passing.
“The important thing for me is making sure we balance what we’re taxing the everyday person,” said Rep. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis. “I think it’s important that something be passed since we have the huge backlog.”
State Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, said he was concerned that the decrease in the sales tax wasn’t enough to offset the effect the rise in the gas tax will have on his constituents.
“I’ve got to have something that will offset the disparate effect that the gas tax will have on the poor, those on a fixed income, the seniors,” he said, adding, “I think something will be done.”