Foxx: Obama focus is jobs (Charlotte Observer)
After Tuesday’s vote in Massachusetts, the Obama administration appeared to step up its emphasis on getting Americans back to work, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx said this morning.
Foxx met with officials during the U.S. Conference of Mayors conference in Washington.
Voters in Massachusetts said concern over the economy and frustration with the president’s health care plan was a big reason behind Republican Scott Brown’s upset victory.
“My read of it is the work that’s been going on to improve the job picture hasn’t changed,” Foxx said, “but the focus of the comments and the dialogue that we were able to have with these officials, including the president, was very much focused on what most people in Charlotte and across the country are interested in, which is how we’re going to get people back to work.”
Foxx said he and other mayors urged the administration to funnel more stimulus dollars through cities. Now, he said, cities have 85 percent of the nation’s population but get just 20 percent of the stimulus dollars.
“The administration heard that loud and clear,” Foxx said. “That message has been repeated over and over again. When it gets directly to cities, we’re able to turn it out to communities a lot faster.”
On other subjects, Foxx said:
The administration will decide by Feb. 17 whether to award North Carolina $300 million in stimulus money to replace the Yadkin River bridge. The state is applying for the money through a competitive grant.
Federal policy may favor Charlotte’s acquisition of more money for rail transit. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told mayors that he’s looking for transportation projects that help both the environment and neighborhoods.
“The good news is Charlotte has been doing that for a while,” Foxx said. “(I got) a strong impression that Charlotte is viewed as a very successful system. And we are a leader among other cities in doing transit the right way. So we got very positive reinforcement.”
Asked about recent criticism by planner Michael Gallis that Charlotte’s transit plans lack a central hub, Foxx said it may be too late to change it.
“I take his critique of the system seriously,” Foxx said. “And I’m going to reach out to (to see) what if anything can be done. Frankly my strong impression is that we’ve passed the point of no return a long time ago.
“Practically I think the train may have left the station. No pun intended.”
By Jim Morrill
[email protected]
Posted: Friday, Jan. 22, 2010
