Johnson in D.C. pushing for jobs bill

by Wally Northway

Published: February 24,2010

Tags: employment, jobs, metropolitan employment, municipal government, unemployment

JACKSON — Harvey Johnson Jr., mayor of Jackson, is in Washington this week, lobbying lawmakers to hammer out a jobs bill. And, he is not alone.

U.S. Conference of Mayors president Elizabeth Kautz, mayor of Burnsville, Minn., is leading a bipartisan delegation of more than 30 U.S. mayors on Capitol Hill today and tomorrow to push federal lawmakers to put aside partisan differences and quickly pass a jobs bill that puts Americans back to work and invests in Main Street metropolitan economies, where joblessness is concentrated.

The mayors will hold a press conference to highlight the growing unemployment figures in their individual cities and the importance passing of a jobs bill now. Mayors have been working with Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.) on a proposal, to be introduced soon, which responds to the needs of Main Street with funding for job creation and job retention in cities.

Last month, more than 200 of the nation’s mayors came to Washington to advocate for their 2010 Metro Agenda for America, and mayors are pleased that Miller has responded to their request to help American families, who in many cases are suffering from double-digit unemployment.

As the Obama Administration has made new green industries a priority for job creation, mayors are also pushing for funding for green job and clean energy block grants, included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to accelerate the growth of green jobs in cities.