MSNBC polls mayors on top issues for new administration
Just days after Barack Obama secured his place in history as
President-elect, MSNBC posted comments from mayors across the
United States on what they think are the top issues facing the
nation.
More than 200 mayors responded to the request from MSNBC
reporter Bill Dedman to identify two items for the
”
new president’s ‘to do’ list,
”
including local Hollister Mayor Doug Emerson. The requests came
in from 48 states and Puerto Rico, according to an article
online.
MSNBC polls mayors on top issues for new administration
Just days after Barack Obama secured his place in history as President-elect, MSNBC posted comments from mayors across the United States on what they think are the top issues facing the nation.
More than 200 mayors responded to the request from MSNBC reporter Bill Dedman to identify two items for the “new president’s ‘to do’ list,” including local Hollister Mayor Doug Emerson. The requests came in from 48 states and Puerto Rico, according to an article online.
The responses are posted on www.msnbc.com verbatim, and an interactive map shows what issues are most important to mayors in different states. The topics are color-coded and it is clear from the map that the economy is the No. 1issue on the minds of city leaders. Other topics include: energy, health care, immigration, infrastructure, national security, public safety, and taxes and budgets.
“I just thought the way I read it, here’s a great idea,” Emerson said. “Have officials talk about what, locally, they need.”
Emerson wrote in his response to Dedman, “Hollister is a relatively small town, about 37,000 people. We have one of the highest foreclosure rates in California so one program I would propose would be the following …”
He then went on to describe a low-interest loan program that would allow first-time homebuyers to purchase foreclosed or vacant properties.
“Our redevelopment agency has put this program in place,” he wrote. “But with only $500,000 we are limited to helping only 10 families.”
For his second priority, Emerson suggested an incentive program for small businesses to expand or to start up small businesses.
“With unemployment rates at historically high levels, especially in San Benito County, we have a tremendous need to create jobs,” Emerson wrote.
Emerson said in an interview this week that when he looked over the site he was somewhat disappointed in the responses from other mayors.
“I skimmed through and I didn’t see consensus,” he said. “I saw a lot of generalities.”
Emerson said he chose to focus on local issues rather than on national issues such as the Iraq war or healthcare because he wanted to promote programs that could make a direct difference in Hollister.
“If there was a consensus, I think there would have been a strong push,” Emerson said.
He chose two projects that relate to the economy because he said he sees housing as the “big problem.”
He also cited the high unemployment rate and said he believes dealing with housing and jobs will eliminate other problems.
“My philosophy is that the gang problem decreases when we have adequate housing and jobs,” he said.
