Mayor Peyton was in Virginia yesterday to listen to President-elect Barack Obama’s presentation of his economic recovery plan to the nation. As Obama’s plan includes a tremendous amount of new spending on infrastructure, Peyton is in D.C. to try and make sure that Jacksonville gets a piece of the pie when these Federal dollars begin to flow.
Supporters of the Obama plan claim that it will save or create 3 million jobs by doubling the production of alternative energy; weatherizing 75% of federal buildings and two million American homes; computerizing America’s medical records; updating thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities; expanding broadband access; and investing in science, research, and technology. Obama also plans to cut taxes on most middle income families and inject a massive amount of cash into the states to fund highway and other infrastructure programs. Critics charge that it’s a bad idea to try and spend our way out of the problems that have been created, in large part, by too much government spending.
The following email was send out from Mayor Peyton following the Obama address…
Dear Friends:
On Thursday morning, I had the tremendous honor of being one of a select few elected officials to hear President-elect Barack Obama present his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan at George Mason University. I was honored to be invited to Washington, D.C., along with 20 other metropolitan mayors, as the President-elect addressed the country on the importance of taking swift action to restore trust and confidence in our nation’s economy and provide jobs for millions of Americans. This visit is indicative of the ongoing work that the city is doing to ensure that Jacksonville’s message is being heard at the federal level.
As part of my time in D.C., the other mayors and I first attended a briefing with Robert Nabors, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, on the new administration’s economic stimulus plan. This was a great opportunity for the leaders of cities like Jacksonville to convey to the new administration how local governments are poised to put federal dollars to work in our communities, immediately.
Since discussion of a potential infrastructure plan first started, I have been working to make sure Jacksonville’s message is heard. Along with the city’s independent authorities and three beaches communities, we have developed a list of construction-ready projects that could break ground within 90-120 days and would pump more than $760 million into our local economy. With assistance from the federal government, Jacksonville could begin to address its own rising unemployment and foreclosure rates, do our part to help restore the nation’s economy and complete needed infrastructure projects.
As a city, we understand that we cannot rely solely on federal funds to jump-start our local economy or meet local infrastructure needs. However, supplemental investments from the federal government will assist us in staving off additional financial crises caused by the nationwide recession, and continue to help keep Jacksonville’s residents working.
As the national discussion continues to focus on the new administration’s economic recovery plan, know that Jacksonville has a seat at that table and is prepared to make good use of federal dollars as they become available. Despite the seemingly never-ending bad news regarding our nation’s economic stability, today, I am hopeful. Capital project funding is the quickest economic stimulus available, particularly if it is matched by additional local funding. President-elect Obama is committed to taking dramatic action to lift our nation to its feet so that our cities and communities may once again grow and prosper, and I am committed to working with his administration to do that for Jacksonville.
Respectfully yours,
John Peyton
Mayor
May 20th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Finding your websight was like finding a needle in a haystack.