Report: Ariz. cities want slice of stimulus pie

Cities in Arizona and across the nation already have their hand out for billions of dollars from the new Obama administration.

In a report released Monday, the U.S. Conference of Mayors said it surveyed 427 cities nationwide and found more than 11,000 projects that are ready to go now — and that would create more than 850,000 jobs. Those jobs, the report says, “would strengthen the economies of our metro areas and our nation as a whole.”

In Arizona, where just eight communities were surveyed, the projects totaled about $3.2 billion.

The number of jobs that would equal is unclear, as several cities, including Scottsdale with its $372 million wish list and Phoenix with its $1.3 billion request, did not provide estimates.

But the figures are probably only a small portion of what Arizona mayors actually want, as there are 90 incorporated cities in the state.

Monday’s report is in response to statements last month by President-elect Barack Obama that he wants to create 2.5 million new jobs by 2011.

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, who chairs the conference, said that dovetails with the needs of cities that have infrastructure needs.

“We need to invest where we can get the biggest return,” Diaz said at a news conference in Washington. “We are not here for a bailout.”

The idea of helping the cities has a powerful ally on Capitol Hill: Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee. He stood with some of the mayors at the news conference.

“When Congress develops a stimulus plan, it is very important we do not forget the very hard times our cities are having meeting the needs of residents,” he said in a prepared statement.

While the cities participating in the survey each came up with dozens of projects for which they want federal dollars, some questions remain about the list.

Tucson, for example, listed two projects that involved plazas and parking that total $43 million and, according to the city, would create about 1,500 jobs.

But those two items actually are part of the city’s Rio Nuevo Project, which is supposed to be funded by redirecting state sales taxes for local improvements.