News

Attendees:

• Angela Uhl – Futurewise (WA)
• Rachel DiResto – Center for Planning Excellence (LA)
• John Maximuk – Liveable Communities Coalition (GA)
• Kristin, Craig – 1000 Friends of Oregon
• Jennifer Oligario – Transportation Choices Coalition (WA)
• Jen Leonard – Center for Community Progress (DC)
• Andre Leroux – Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance
• Peter Fleischer – Empire State Future
• Adam Synder – Conservation Alabama
• Michele Warren – Local Government Commission
• Zach Smith, Rayla Bellis, Elisa Ortiz, Katy Hartnett- SGA

Federal Update

• Congress is in recess this week
• Both the House and Senate have moved their transportation bills to the floor
• House: brought a package of bills to the floor, but pulled the transportation bill from the floor when it is was clear they wouldn’t have enough votes to pass
• Senate: Brought MAP 21 to the floor and are adding amendments to the bill

The President released his budget for FY 13, which includes:

• $500 million for the TIGER program, which is level funding for the fiscal year
• Funding to create an Office of Livable Communities
• 3% increase in funding for the total HUD budget
• $100 million of funding split between regional planning and community  challenge grants for Partnership for Sustainable Communities
• Funding to create an Office of Livable Communities
• Level funding for Community Development Block Grant program
• Level funding for EPA at $10.7 million

New Member Benefit: WealthEngine

• Wealth Engine is an online wealth research tool to determine an individual’s propensity to donate money to an organization
• More information: Full WealthEngine Protocol with instructions on how to use SGA’s license; Description of WealthEngine data categories and what they mean; and a sample individual record downloaded off of WealthEngine.
• Send questions about WealthEngine to Jeri Mintzer or Elisa Ortiz

Remember our annual coalition and lobby Day will be April 25th and 26th in Washington, DC

The next coalition call is scheduled for Thursday, March 29th at 4:00 p.m. EST