AMERICA'S MAYORS S U P America Fast Forward Transportation Bonds George K. Heartwell Neil M. O'Leary Grand Rapids. MI Waterbury, CT Gerald Peter l.ewis~~ Sally Hutton D. Jennings Albany. NY Auburn, WA Richmond, IN '\\ ~, Stephanie A. Miner ~~ Steve Hogan Elizabeth Tisdahl Syracuse, NY Charlie Hales a~~r~r,. co Evanston, IL Portland, OR ~ - David C. Hartzell, Jr. i Jerry DiTullio ~, Clarence. NY ~ ~ Wheat Ridge, CO ~~ Rahm Ralph Becke Emanuel '~/lichael D. Bissonnette Chicago, IL Salt Lake City, UT Chicopee, MA BSean ek rec ~ Margaret Stock Butler, Bozeman, MT J. MichaelNou§ton FA Andy Hafen Spririgficld, IL David Coss Jon Mitchell Henderson, NV ~~ \~~ ~. Santa Fe, NM -~ Ne~v Bedford, MA Robert Scott s~oux cry, is Kevin Johnson Sacramento, CA Scott Avedisian Warwick, RI Edwin M. Lee Greg Fischer Alberto G. Santos San Francisco. CA Louisville, I<Y Kez~ny, NJ Eric Garcetti j. Richard Gray los Angeles, CA ~\ Scott Foster, P.E. Lancaster, PA Hendersonville, TN Rick Gibbs ~'~ Murrieta. CA Mick Cornett Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Baltimore, MD Oklahoma City, OI( DeRosa ~ ~ /Kathleen Lioneld Jordan Paul D. Fraim ,Cathedral Gty, CA ~ Fayetteville, AR ~. Norfolk, VA i Cheryl Cox Scott Smith William Bell Chuf~aVista, CA Mesa, AZ I Durham, NC John Cook _ ~ Kasim Reed EI Paso, TX Atlanta, GA Beth Van Duyne Mitchell Landrieu John Marks Irving, TX / New Orleans, LA Tallahasce, FL Raul G. Salinas Sandra Bradbury Laredo, TX Pinellas Park, fL Barrington Russell, Sr. Metro Lauderdale Lakes, FL Full listing on reverse. Don Plusquellic Akron, OH Jack Tanaka Diamond Bar, CA Mark Stodola Little Rock, AR Harvey C. Skoog Prescott Valley, AZ Gerald D. Jennings Albany, NY Carleton E. Carey, Sr. Dover, DE Don Jensen Longview, WA Sandra E. Frum Northbrook Village, IL Ed Pawlowski Allentown, PA William Bell Durham. NC Chase Ritenauer Lorain, OH Sarah Strommen Ramsey, MN H. Dean Maxwell Anacortes, WA Marcia Leclerc East Hartford, CT Eric Garcetti Los Angeles, CA Linda Budge Rancho Cordova, CA Kasim Reed Atlanta, GA Michael Tautznik Easthampton, MA Greg Fischer Louisville, KY John Marchione Redmond, WA Pete Lewis Auburn, WA Sal Panto Easton, PA Robert A. B. Reichert Macon, GA Dan Rizzo Revere, MA William R. Stokes Augusta, ME Antonia Ricigliano Edison, N) Paul R. Soglin Madison, WI Sally Hutton Richmond, IN Steve Hogan Aurora, CO Richard Young EI Campo, TX Gary Christenson Malden, MA Dean Uecker Ripon, CA Steve Bonkowski Bainbridge Island, WA John Cook EI Paso, TX Bruce C. Delgado Marina City, CA Pam Stafford Rohnert Park, CA Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Baltimore, MD Gary Davis Elk Grove, CA John Christopher Soff Meadville, PA Susan Rohan Roseville, CA Denny Doyle Beaverton, OR Joseph E. Sinnott Erie, PA Scott Smith Mesa, AZ Kevin Johnson Sacramento, CA Emmett Pugh III Beckley, WV Kitty Piercy Eugene, OR R.T. Rybak Minneapolis, MN Ralph Becker Salt Lake City, UT William W. Brien, MD Beverly Hill, CA Elizabeth Tisdahl Evanston, IL Ken Tracy Mitchell, SD Tomas T. Odell Sammamish, WA Sean Becker Bozeman, MT Ray Stephanson Everett, WA Mary Ann Lutz Monrovia, CA Patrick ). Morris San Bernardino, CA Ron Garcia Brea, CA Thomas Nagel Fairborn, OH David Trotter Moraga, CA Edwin M. Lee San Francisco, CA Bill Finch Bridgeport, CT Lioneld Jordan Fayetteville, AR Tommy Bragg Murfreesboro, TN Chuck Reed San Jose, CA Bryan Thompson Brunswick, GA Karen Weitkunat Fort Collins, CO Rick Gibbs Murrieta, CA Jan Marx San Luis Obispo, CA Jack Hakim Bullhead City, AZ Betsy Price Fort Worh, TX Roger Van Horn Nacogdoches, TX Genoveva Garcia-Calloway San Pablo, CA Margaret Stock Butler, PA Bill Harrison Fremont, CA Jon Mitchell New Bedford, MA David Coss Santa Fe, N M Edwin Garcia ~amuy, PR Marylou Powers Galt, CA Mitchell Landrieu New Orleans, LA Pam O'Connor Santa Monica, CA Matt Hall Carlsbad, CA John Lewis Gilbert, AZ Alan Nagy Newark, CA Robert Scott Sioux City, IA Kathleen DeRosa Cathedral City, CA Joseph A. Santoro Glendora, CA McKinley L. Price Newport News, VA Brenda L. Lawrence Southfield, MI Mark Kleinschmidt Chapel Hill, NC Georgia Lord Goodyear, AZ Setti Warren Newton MA Noramie F. Jasmin Spring Valley, NY Patsy Kinsey Charlotte, NC George K. Heartwell Grand Rapids, MI Paul A.Dyster Niagara Falls, NY J. Michael Houston Springfield, IL John A. Linder Chester, PA Gary Herbert Greensburg, IN Paul D. Fraim Norfolk, VA Francis F. Slay St. Louis, MO Rahm Emanuel Chicago, IL Shane Bemis Gresham, OR Chris Koos Normal, IL Pete Sanchez Suisun City. CA Scott Gruendl Chico, CA Paul Hicks Hastings, MN Jean Quan Oakland, CA Michael J. Ryan Sunrise, FL Michael D. Bissonnette Chicopee, MA Andy Hafen Henderson, NV Mark Bartel of San Jacinto, CA Sharon Wolcott Surprise, AZ Peter Rogers Chino Hills, CA Scott Foster, P.E. Hendersonville, TN Mick Cornett Oklahoma City, OK Stephanie A. Miner Syracuse, NY Cheryl Cox Chula Vista, CA Jerry W. Willey Hillsboro, OR Linda L. Witte Olean, NY Marilyn Strickland Tacoma, WA David C. Hartzell, Jr. Clarence, NY James Thomas, Jr. Hinesville, GA JoeChilsen Onalaska, WI John Marks Tallahassee, FL Michael B. Coleman Columbus, OH Beth Van Duyne Irving, TX Max A. Smith Oneida, NY Mark W. Mitchell Tempe, AZ Nelda Martinez Corpus Christi, TX Bobby J. Hopewell Kalamazoo, MI Doug Neely Oregon City, OR Claudia Bill-de la Pena Thousand Oaks, CA Andrew N. Weissman Culver City, CA Sly James Kansas City, MO Buddy Dyer Orlandq FL John Cook Tigard, OR Joe Krovoza Davis, CA Alberto G. Santos Kearny, NJ Bill Bogaard Pasadena, CA Caro) Dutra-Vernaci Union City, CA Mark Burroughs Denton, TX David Baker Kennmore, WA Shawn Connors Pecatonica, IL Judy Ritter Vista, CA Michael B. Hancock Denver, CO Richard V. Clanton Kentwood, MI Frank C. Ortis Pembroke Pines, FL Scott Avedisian Warwick, RI Dave Kaplan Des Moines, WA Bob Murphy Lakewood, CO Phillip Houk Pendleton, OR Neil M. O'Leary Waterbury, CT Dave Bing Detroit, MI J. Richard Gray Lancaster, PA Greg Stanton Phoenix, AZ Karen Heck Waterville, ME Raul G. Salinas Laredo, TX Sandra Bradbury Pinellas Park, FL Jeffrey Prang West Hollywood, CA Ken Miyagishima Las Cruces, NM George Fowler Pineville, NC Jeri Muoio West Palm Beach, FL Barrington Russell, Sr. Lauderdale Lakes, FL Harry LaRosiliere Plano, TX William R. Wild Westland, MI Philip Craighead Lebanon, TN Maria "Mayita" Melendez Ponce, PR Susan M. Kay Weymouth, MA a John Manchester Lewisburg, WV Charlie Hales Portland, OR Jerry DiTullio Wheat Ridge, CO David Berger Lima, OH Bill Gillespie, Jr. Prattville, AL Randy Riley Wilmington, OH 0 Mletro O 0 Executive Management Committee Remarks Delivered By Raffi Haig Hamparian Government Relations Director, Federal Affairs November 21, 2013 Federal Remarks Chair DuBois and members of the committee, I am pleased to provide an update on a number federal transportation issues that impact our agency. Continuing Resolution and Debt Ceiling: 4Ve are closely monitoring the budget conference which is seeking to clear the way for funding the federal government for the balance of Fiscal Year 2014. The current continuing resolution funded the federal government through January 15, 2014 and raised the debt ceiling through February 7, 2014. We have been in touch with the U.S. Department of Transportation and have received assurances that even if a long-term funding bill is not adopted by Congress - DOT officials are inclined to move forward with our Full Funding Grant Agreements and TIFIA loans. Recent Congressional Bill Introductions: Over the last several weeks, several pieces of legislation have been introduced to address the looming solvency issues faced by the Highway Trust Fund. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) has introduced a measure to increase the gas tax by 15-cents - consistent with the recommendation embedded in the Simpson-Bowles report. His bill also seeks to transition federal funding from the gas tax to a Vehicle Miles Traveled system by 2024. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) has introduced legislation known as the BRIDGE Act - with support from a bi-partisan group of legislators - that would create an Infrastructure Financing Authority to complement existing funding mechanisms and expand overall infrastructure investment. According to Senator Warner, "this institution, which would provide loans and loan guarantees, would be both fiscally responsible and robust enough to help address America's infrastructure deficit." And a third piece of legislation has been offered by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and by Congressman Tom Graves (R-GA) in the House. This bill - entitled the Transportation Empowerment Act - would transfer almost all authority over federal highway and transit programs to the states over a five-year period. Concurrently, the legislation would lower the federal gas tax to 3.7 cents from 18.4 cents over the same time period. Federal Freight Issues: This week, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a draft initial designation of our nation's Primary Freight Network (PFN). MAP-21, our current surface transportation bill, mandated the establishment of a National Freight Network (NFN) to, as shared by the FHWA, "focus resources on the most important highways and roadways for freight transportation. The NFN contains three components - the Primary Freight Network, all Interstate Highways not included on the Primary Freight Network, and the Critical Rural Freight Corridors. The Primary Freight Network will be designated by USDOT and includes up to 27,000 centerline miles of roadways that are most critical for freight movements. Various factors were examined when identifying which routes would be designated as part of the draft highway Primary Freight Network." The document released this week solicits comments from our agency and other stakeholders from across the nation on the draft initial designation of both the PFN and NFN. Our agency is currently reviewing the document issued by the FHWA and slated to be printed in the Federal Register on November 19, 2013.