Official Publication of the National League of Cities OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES
NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY
Volume 34, Number 11 | march 21, 2011

IN THIS ISSUE
www.nlc.org
PAGE 3

PAGE 3
Senior Officials Bring Administration’s
Perspective to NLC’s Conference
PAGE 5
Bowles Discusses Fiscal Reform, Sharing
the Pain
PAGE 5
City Leaders Share Strategies to Align
Educational Systems for Young Children

Michelle Obama Stresses Economic
Impact of Childhood Obesity

by Cyndy Liedtke Hogan
First lady Michelle Obama
told local officials at the
Congressional City Conference
that reversing the childhood
obesity problem is not just a
health issue, but also an eco-
nomic issue for communities.

see page 8, column 1

First lady Michelle Obama speaks on the issue of childhood obesity at the
Congressional City Conference./ Photo by Steve Schneider
NLC Officers Lead Hundreds to
Capitol Hill in Support of CDBG

by Michael Wallace
NLC President James E.
Mitchell Jr., council mem-
ber, Charlotte, N.C., kicked
off a day of action on Capitol
Hill last Wednesday morning
with a press conference in the
Hart Senate Office Building
that highlighted the signifi-
cant economic impact of the
Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) program
on local communities.

NLC President James E. Mitchell Jr., speaks at an event on Capitol Hill in support
of the Community Development Block Grant program./ Photo by Steve Schneider
Setti Warren of Newton, Mass.,
and Prince George’s County,
Md., County Executive
Rushern Baker III also spoke at
the event.
In opening the event,
President Mitchell remarked
that “CDBG’s linking of pri-
vate sector dollars to govern-
ment seed money has created
thousands of jobs while provid-
ing the nation a firm basis for
future economic and techno-
logical growth. It is shortsighted
to cut a program that’s putting
people to work and providing
much needed investment in our
communities.”