The U.S. Conference of Mayors is coming to Baltimore, Maryland for their next annual meeting, and it’s very possible that there will be a resolution urging a radical shift in national spending priorities.

The 2011 meeting will take place June 17-21 in Baltimore.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will introduce and champion a resolution to bring the war dollars home if he gets enough co-sponsors.

Depending on how you count it, the U.S. is spending somewhere between 4 and 9 percent of GDP on “defense spending.” Much of that spending is for military bases around the world, outdated cold-war weapons systems and counterproductive interventions.

It’s also money that can’t be used to support state and local governments or local community needs, and this fact shouldn’t be lost on mayors.

According to Code Pink, the following local leaders have signed up to cosponsor a resolution to shift money from the Pentagon to communities.

- Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles, California
- Carolyn Peterson, Ithaca, New York
- Dave Norris, Charlottesville, Virginia
- David Coss, Santa Fe, New Mexico
- John Heilman, West Hollywood, California
- Gayle McLaughlin, Richmond, California
- Bob Kiss, Burlington, Vermont
- R.T. Rybak, Minneapolis, Minnesota

All Marylanders who have a mayor should contact theirs and let them know that thier constituents support the resolution to bring the war dollars home. ACT NOW because May 17 is the deadline for additional co-sponsors.

Code Pink has some tools to help you get your ideas across to your mayor.

Find and write your mayor

Here is the Draft Resolution proposed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for the U.S. Conference of Mayors

CALLING ON CONGRESS TO REDIRECT MILITARY SPENDING TO DOMESTIC PRIORITIES

WHEREAS, the severity of the ongoing economic crisis has created budget shortfalls at all levels of government and requires us to re-examine our national spending priorities; and

WHEREAS, the people of the United States are collectively paying approximately $126 billion dollars per year to wage war in Iraq and Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, 6,024 members of the US armed forces have died in these wars; and at least 120,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since the coalition attacks began.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors supports efforts to speed up the ending of these wars; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on the U.S. Congress to bring these war dollars home to meet vital human needs, promote job creation, rebuild our infrastructure, aid municipal and state governments, and develop a new economy based upon renewable, sustainable energy.