January 28, 2014
President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President Obama:
Thank you for your steadfast support of cities and towns. As mayors, we appreciate your attention to the vitality of our communities. We recognize key to sustaining strong and growing cities is investment in our water systems. One-fifth of the U.S. economy—from agriculture, to mining, manufacturing, and electricity—would grind to a halt without a reliable and clean supply of water. As you set your infrastructure investment priorities over the next two years, we urge you to prioritize investments in water infrastructure, especially those that promote sustainability practices, such as green infrastructure.
According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, we need to invest as much as $4.8 trillion in our nation’s water infrastructure over the next 20 years. As mayors, we are doing our best to make these critical investments. We are putting billions of dollars back into our economy every year in pipes, steel, and cement. We are creating jobs and building a stronger America.
We applaud your consistent focus on the importance of investing in the nation’s infrastructure including roads, bridges, and ports. We ask that you elevate water infrastructure investments to a priority in the coming years. Not only will you be protecting a vital resource, but you will be strengthening the economy and creating jobs. A $1 billion investment in water infrastructure creates over 26,000 jobs nationwide—and every public dollar spent in the water and wastewater industry yields $2.62 in additional economic activity.
We look forward to partnering with your Administration to rebuild our water infrastructure, put people back to work, and lay the foundation for a stronger America.
Sincerely,
EDWIN M. LEE BILL DE BLASIO Mayor | San Francisco, California Mayor | New York, New York
ERIC GARCETTI MICHAEL NUTTER Mayor | Los Angeles, California Mayor | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
GREG STANTON STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE Mayor | Phoenix, Arizona Mayor | Baltimore, Maryland
TOM BARRETT MICHAEL B. COLEMAN Mayor | Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mayor | Columbus, Ohio
FRANCIS SLAY KEVIN JOHNSON Mayor | St. Louis, Missouri Mayor | Sacramento, California
WILLIAM D. EUILLE MICHAEL BRENNAN Mayor | Alexandria, Virginia Mayor | Portland, Maine
FRANK COWNIE PAUL FRAIM Mayor | Des Moines, Iowa Mayor | Norfolk, Virginia
DANA REDD SYLVESTER JAMES Mayor | Camden, New Jersey Mayor | Kansas City, Missouri
CHARLIE HALES JEAN QUAN Mayor | Portland, Oregon Mayor | Oakland, California
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KASIM REED FRANK JACKSON Mayor | Atlanta, Georgia Mayor | Cleveland, Ohio
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VINCENT GRAY Mayor | Washington, D.C.