Editorial: Mayors should not rest on their laurels

The meeting, which ends today, was refreshingly upbeat. Mayors praised the strong economy, declining crime rates, and a new federal highway bill that will pump life into aging transportation corridors. Even Republican mayors such as Jeff Griffin of Reno lauded Democratic President Clinton for doing his part to help revive the nation's cities.

But it would be unwise for the mayors to rest on their laurels. They should listen to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo, who advised them to demand more money from Congress. There has been more of a political appetite in recent years to transfer power from the federal government to localities.

Cities must take advantage of this trend to address local problems. Make the congressmen who advocate decentralization cough up the dough to back up what they preach.

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley also offered a common sense approach to tackling urban violence. He agreed that lawsuits against gun makers could yield good results as long as the National Rifle Association isn't drawn into the fight. It makes more sense to hold the gun manufacturers responsible than to go up against the politically powerful gun lobby.

Cuomo reported that while cities are the strongest they have been economically in a decade, we cannot afford uncontrolled growth. But Mayor Paul Helmke of Fort Wayne, Ind., has it right when he said there are often simple solutions that can make life easier for citizens.

With the cooperation of business and churches and some federal money, Helmke's city built a park in a neighborhood that had been dragged down by an illegal dump and the closing of a large factory. There are certainly a number of neighborhoods in Clark County that could benefit from a similar collaboration.

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