Mayors: We'll spend stimulus wisely
Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on January 17, 2009 – 2:21pm.
Nine North Carolina mayors made their case to Barack Obama's top staffers today.
As part of a group of several hundred mayors at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, the mayors heard from the president-elect's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, and adviser Valerie Jarrett and transition team adviser David Axelrod.
The group is arguing for more of the federal stimulus package to be spent on local infrastructure, such as schools, water and sewer lines and even municipal Internet access.
Gastonia Mayor Jennie Stultz said that towns and cities would be more accountable for the spending, an argument she said seemed to play well with Obama's team.
“I don't think they're going to hand out a blank check,” she said. “I think you've got to show them how you're going to spend it.”
The North Carolina mayors will meet with U.S. Sens. Kay Hagan and Richard Burr Monday.
