May 26, 2011

RE: CDBG ACTION ALERT - Help U.S. Senators Leahy and Snowe Build Additional Bipartisan Support for CDBG Action needed this week!

Dear Mayor:

Bipartisan leadership is at work in the U.S. Senate to ensure the continued existence and strength of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

This week, Republican Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine and Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont are gathering signatures of other Senators for a “Dear Colleague” letter urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to make the CDBG program a spending priority in fiscal year 2012. 

Please take a moment to call Senators Lautenberg and Menendez and urge them to “sign the Leahy-Snowe letter in support of CDBG.”  The letter will remain open for signatures through Monday, May 30.  Given the short timeframe to gather signatures, it is important to CALL, as letters and emails may not be viewed on time.  You can reach Senator Lautenberg’s office by calling 202-224-3224 and Senator Menendez’ office at 202-224-4744.

This may be one of the most important actions you will take on CDBG this year given that this is the first instance of public bipartisan support for the program in over two years.

These calls are one of multiple strategies underway to protect and preserve funding for CDBG and other community development programs.  While you are making calls to the Senate today and tomorrow, the National League of Cities (NLC) and its colleagues at several State Municipal Leagues are coordinating targeted outreach to members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development urging House support for CDBG and the HOME Investment Partnership Program.  As the spending bills are considered and advance throughout the appropriations process, keep looking for alerts from us to know the best times to give your advocacy the greatest impact.

If you have any questions, contact Jon Moran at 609-695-3481, ext. 121 or jmoran@njslom.com.

Very truly yours,

J. Christian Bollwage,                                    Arthur R. Ondish,
Mayor, City of Elizabeth                                Mayor, Mount Arlington Borough
Past President, NJLM                                    First Vice President, NJLM
Co-Chair, NJLM                                            Co-Chair, NJLM
CDBG Protection Task Force                        CDBG Protection Task Force