Mayor West to join grant commission

Spokane Mayor Jim West has been invited to sit on a Bush Administration commission to look at an administration plan for streamlining federal grant programs to local governments.

West was scheduled to fly to Fresno, Calif., today for the first meeting of the Strengthening America’s Communities Advisory Commission, an effort funded by Congress last year. West said no city money will be involved, beyond his time.

The administration wants to consolidate some 35 federal grant programs, including the long-running Community Development Block Grant program. CDBG would shift to the Department of Commerce from its current home in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The administration says it wants to end duplication, while simplifying the program and making it more flexible.

The proposed transfer of CDBG programs has run into resistance from the National League of Cities and from members of Congress.

West said he is not opposed to the change because Spokane has long established relationships with both HUD and the Commerce Department.

“We have such good friends in Commerce, I am not afraid of it,” he said.

West said members of the Bush Administration are concerned that some communities have used CDBG money to prop up local budgets rather than exclusively for community development.

The administration plan in part would target “opportunity zones” in economically stagnant areas and make grants available for things like after-school care, reading programs, faith-based community work, nonprofit agencies and small business loans.

Overall funding in the 18 programs would go from $5.3 billion a year to a proposed $3.7 billion. The reduction would come largely by cutting off communities that are not economically distressed, according to an administration Web site.

The CDBG program dates back to the 1970s. West said it is time to revise the grant program to meet current community needs. He said he was invited to apply for the commission, which will hold public hearings in the next few months before making recommendations to the administration.

West campaigned in 2003 on economic development. Since taking office at the start of 2004, he has reorganized City Hall so that the city’s Community Development Department falls under the economic development division, headed by an economic development director.

The mayor said he would like to make more community development money available for startup business loans, particularly in minority communities. “With federal dollars, we have more flexibility,” he said.

Spokane in recent years has succeeded in gaining grants and state funding for several economic initiatives, including development of a University District east of the downtown area.