Mayor Levar Stoney: Mayor’s Alliance to End Childhood Hunger

NewDEAL Leader Richmond, VA Mayor Levar Stoney is chairing the new Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, launched this week, with more than 50 other mayors already signed on, including 14 other NewDEALers. The Alliance seeks individual and collective leadership from cities nationwide to take meaningful action against childhood hunger, including publicly speaking on hunger issues, expansion of SNAP and P-EBT opportunities, and providing better financial assistance for school meals. Read more about the Alliance, or check out their one-pager on actions mayors can take.

Councilmember Raul Campillo: Connecting Seniors to Affordable Transportation

Recently, San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo announced the launch of the FACT pilot program, or Facilitating Access to Coordinated Transportation, in coordination with local community groups. The program will subsidize rides for seniors who do not have access to cars, allowing them to get basic needs like groceries and medical prescriptions, with charges of $2.50 for rides shorter than 5 miles and $10 dollars for rides longer than 20.1 miles. Read more info about the program, which local senior centers praised as a great improvement to the quality of life for seniors in the community.

Mayor Zeb Smathers: Federal Funds Help Shape the Hometown of Tomorrow

This week, the Canton, NC governing board, led by NewDEAL Leader Mayor Zeb Smathers, met to map the town’s recovery from a devastating flood last year that wreaked havoc on homes and businesses, using this moment of tragedy as a catalyst for more transformative change. Mayor Smathers is now considering multiple federal funding streams that have the potential to transform his town and ensure it embodies, as Smathers puts it, “the hometown of tomorrow.” For example, the governing board is considering selling riverfront land to FEMA as part of the agency’s buyout program. The land, if sold, could be turned into a park system for residents. Other rebuilding projects include an all-abilities playground, a dog park, and an aquatics center. Read this article for more on how Canton is turning tragedy into opportunity, and listen to our recent podcast interview with Mayor Smathers to hear him discuss the flood and how his town is building back.

Mayor Levar Stoney: A New Era for Richmond

This week, NewDEAL Leader Richmond, VA Mayor Levar Stoney delivered his state of the city address, highlighting his ongoing equity agenda and how new investments in housing, economic growth, and public safety initiatives will make a difference for his community. In addition, Mayor Stoney laid out new programs to: spur further economic growth, building on infrastructure improvements; support students, including a pilot program to help get high school graduates through community college; and boost public safety with plans to tackle gun violence along with police recruitment, retention and accountability. “Our past is no longer leading our present. Now, we are leading our future,” Stoney proclaimed. “A future that includes all Richmonders, no matter the color of their skin, whom they pray to or whom they love.” Read more about Mayor Stoney’s State of the City address here.

Mayor Justin Bibb: Cleveland’s Infrastructure

Over the last several weeks, NewDEAL Leader Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb has announced a series of impactful investments in his community seeking to expand broadband access and revitalize large sections of his city. This week, Bibb announced a public-private partnership that would bring internet access to an estimated 29,000 homes over the next 18 months. Last week, he announced a $21 million investment of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for a Waterfront Activation Fund that will support nine projects along the city’s shores, and, in April, he announced plans to devote more of the city’s federal aid to turn “thousands of acres” of brownfields into development-ready land. In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced infrastructure funds dedicated to the replacement of aging train and commuter rail cars. Read more about Mayor Bibb’s agenda here.

Senator Eddie Melton: Bipartisan Bill Revitalizes Gary, IN

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb signed SEA 434 – an innovative economic development bill sponsored and championed by NewDEAL Leader Indiana Senator Eddie Melton – into law this week. Senate Enrolled Act 434, which was introduced by Senator Melton back in January, matches new gaming revenue with local dollars for economic investments in the Lake County region. With these funds, the bill establishes the Lake County Convention and Economic Development Fund; creates the Blighted Property Demolition Fund to address the over 6,000 abandoned properties in the region; and invests in the revitalization of the Gary Metro Station to meet the goals of the state’s Double Tracking project. “SEA 434 represents new beginnings and opportunities for the people of Gary who have long been ready for change,” Senator Melton expressed at the bill’s signing. SEA 434 represents a pragmatic, bipartisan win for Melton and for all of Indiana, with the bill passing by a 49-1 vote.

Moving Montgomery Forward with Gigabit Speed Networks

Problem

The current absence of a high-speed, ultra-secure, and interconnected network prevents Montgomery County from reaching its economic growth potential by investing in a vibrant life sciences community.

Solution

County Councilmember Riemer has proposed that the county government help facilitate the creation of a high-speed, secure, and interconnected fiber network that will be built based on a co-op, public utility model. The proposed network will connect with the County’s own fiber network and will be funded and built by private sector, anchor institutions already in the life sciences corridor and networking firms seeking to gain a foothold there. The resulting infrastructure will attract additional investment, new companies, and high-paying, high-tech jobs to the county to increase economic competitiveness and growth.

ETOPIA: Statewide Broadband Expansion

Problem

In our expanding digital world, broadband access has become a critical infrastructure for consumers and businesses alike to remain economically competitive.

Solution

Senator Unger is proposing to create an inventory and mapping of broadband availability around the state of West Virginia, to develop a framework for increasing and upgrading internet infrastructure across the state. His proposal also requires intergovernmental cooperation and coordination on finding the best ways to implement these technological improvements effectively. Through increased broadband access, Unger hopes to increase economic competitiveness by ensuring equal access to high-speed internet for all and by attracting more businesses to West Virginia.

West Coast Infrastructure Exchange

Problem

The West Coast states face a $1 trillion infrastructure financing gap over the next 30 years. The Great Recession and slow economic recovery have strained the tax revenues of state and local governments, widening the already well-documented infrastructure investment gap.

Solution

The West Coast Infrastructure Exchange (WCX) was created by Oregon, Washington, California, and British Columbia to help redesign the way they plan, build, and finance public infrastructure. WCX works to attract private investment in public projects, share best practices, bundle smaller projects and incorporate climate resilience. This multi-state collaboration will help find innovative ways to fund necessary projects that may not otherwise get completed by relying only on traditional public funding. Through these infrastructure projects, the WCX aims to promote job creation and improve the region’s long-term economic competitiveness over time.

Bottom Up Water Planning

Problem

Changing climate conditions, population growth, and agricultural innovation are placing significant strains on water management systems. Finding a way to more effectively set public policy for water planning is critical.

Solution

In Texas, Rep. Johnson has helped lead the way to implementing a regional approach to water planning. Beginning with local or regional water development planning that is then incorporated into a statewide plan allows those closest to the resources and needs to strike the right balance between competing interests. Changing to a regional approach for deciding the priorities for water infrastructure allows for the needs of private water rights owners, private and public utilities, and government agencies to coordinate their efforts to maximum effect.

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