Members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors plan to tell Congressional leaders that federal dollars could help them rebuild their cities' bridges, roads, sewer and water systems. Mayor Don Plusquellic says Akron is cued up and ready to start on a number of projects - ones he says are truly needed.
Plusquellic: "We don't have any bridges to nowhere here in Akron. You're not just frittering money away."
Plusquellic's top priority is to fulfill promises made to Goodyear and Bridgestone/Firestone. Both companies have agreed to keep thousands of jobs in Akron rather than relocate, and the city has pledged to rebuild infrastructure around their facilities as part of the deal. Plusquellic says those projects are already budgeted, but new federal funds would help ensure that they happen, as well as fund other projects that would create even more jobs in Akron.
Plusquellic: "That is really sort of getting more bang for our buck when we tie it to something that produces jobs or keeps jobs here in Akron for our people."
Plusquellic will be joined by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. They'll make their case to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid following a morning press conference.
Caitlin Johnson 90.3