Riley helps Obama pitch stimulus plan
By Ron Menchaca
Two of South Carolina's mayors, including Charleston's Joe Riley, traveled to Virginia Thursday to help President-elect Barack Obama pitch his plan for reviving the nation's faltering economy.
Riley and Columbia Mayor Bob Coble were among about a dozen mayors from around the country joining Obama at George Mason University in Fairfax for a speech on his proposed economic stimulus package.
Previous Stories
Riley, other mayors talk infrastructure, published 12/09/08
Obama full bore on stimulus plan, published 01/06/09
Sanford rips federal aid to cities, published 01/07/09
Charleston is among hundreds of cities and towns that responded to a recent series of surveys by the U.S. Conference of Mayors aimed at identifying infrastructure projects that could quickly get under way and generate jobs with an infusion of federal cash.
Congressional leaders disagree whether and how money should flow to cities. And some of the "shovel-ready" projects have come under fire from politicians and pundits, including Gov. Mark Sanford, who say Washington shouldn't pay for parks and other local projects that don't relate to federal infrastructure.
Riley said such criticisms are unfounded because cities would still be accountable to local taxpayers for which projects are selected.
The unprecedented nature of the country's financial crisis demands swift action that only local governments can muster, Riley said.
Mayors backing Obama's plan want at least some federal money to go directly to cities through existing federal programs because they believe that's the fastest way to get public-works projects under way.
Riley said he expressed those feelings to Obama on Thursday and that the president-elect agreed that the nimbleness of America's cities and towns is key to lifting the nation out of its economic hole.
"I reiterated to him the great importance that mayors feel about direct funding," Riley said. "The president-elect agreed and said, 'Cities get things done.' "
Reach Ron Menchaca at rmenchaca@postandcourier.com or 937-5724.
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Comments
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Well stimilus / welfare what ever you choose to call it ole' Joe sure knows about both. He'll be able to advise the P.E. Obama on the matter for sure. He'll teach him a thing or two about securing the vote!
January 9, 2009 at 6:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cwmcpa (anonymous) says...
For someone that has repeatedly been rejected by the people of South Carolina for the office of governor, Mr. Riley sure likes to pretend that he matters. A career politician embraces everything he can pull out of your wallet. Some folks just do not want local parks named after a man who has the "Charleston 9's" blood on his hands.
January 9, 2009 at 7:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
grayhead (anonymous) says...
Shock! Riley at the trough of someone else's money! Imagine that!Couldn't confiscate James Island and their money; economy has local tax collections down; so go after everyone else's. So he can put it into Concord Park and say "look at the green space I've saved".....after allowing overpriced, undersold condos to surround it.
January 9, 2009 at 8:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zekemire (anonymous) says...
Ridiculous! How much is this costing the taxpayers! If any federal (TAXPAYER) money is wasted on this scheme to have the government control every aspect of our lives, it should only be through the governor! In our state Sanford seems to be the only politician with any common sense! We need to be kicking the feds out of our lives, not inviting them to control our every single thing about us!
January 9, 2009 at 8:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
B_Fwank (anonymous) says...
WOW, I agree with getserious! the earth's rotation has been altered.
How is it that Riley keeps getting re-elected?
January 9, 2009 at 9:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lou9 (anonymous) says...
Let's see, Obama's plan to stimulate the economy is with more government spending. If that's what it takes to make a good economy then we shouldn't be in this mess. Both parties have been throwing our good money after bad for years. Obama criticized Bush's tax cuts but now he is going to give more tax cuts. The cost of this, and Wall Street and Detroit bailouts will be borne by us, our children, and our grandchildren. Instead of giving Wall Street 350 billion they should have given every household in America 10 million dollars. Now that would stimulate the economy and do everyone some good. But rest assured that Lord Riley will get his out of this deal.
January 9, 2009 at 10:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JF (anonymous) says...
'Cities get things done.' "
Obviously Obama is not familiar with our Mayor's approach to drainage projects or road maintenance.
"Riley said such criticisms are unfounded because cities would still be accountable to local taxpayers for which projects are selected. "
has there EVER been ANY criticism of our mayor's policies of which he thought had any merit?
Amazingly 99% of incumbents are re-elected. Barney Frank, Ted Kennedy, Marion Barry, etc. They become institutions unto themselves without term limits.
Riley is re-elected becuase he is a great politician, he has supporters with deep pockets and he knows how to campaign. A little lip service to blacks (who are losing their population in the pennisula) and more lip services to yuppies and greenies, and most importantly great relationships with big developers and wealthy property owners.
Those who support him are rewarded with jobs, pet projects, and attention to their issues. You might also look at what happens to those developers who pour money into Rileys campaign and pet projects they get the benefits of the Mayor's cooperation. Why rock the boat?
January 9, 2009 at 10:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaman (anonymous) says...
b fwank- The dems vote early and often!He always gets hundreds of "absentee"(dog and cat)votes.And don`t forget the citizens in our local graveyards,they deserve to vote for Joe too.You can`t let a little thing like death get in the way of exercising one`s right to keep the "peoples" mayor in office.
January 9, 2009 at 10:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
UrGatorbait (anonymous) says...
I live in Berkeley so i have no worries yet about King Joe. I find the Charleston fascination and dependency on him fascinating.
January 9, 2009 at 12:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eyfigueroa (anonymous) says...
"I live in Berkeley so i have no worries yet about King Joe. I find the Charleston fascination and dependency on him fascinating."
Ditto!
Very interesting dynamic going on in Charleston.
But then again, Berkeley County has had its share of drama lately.
January 9, 2009 at 4:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
greyman (anonymous) says...
Im going back to Cali we didn't have all this stuff going on there.... oh wait we did never mind. All politicians suck. I think that sums it up.
January 9, 2009 at 5:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yird (anonymous) says...
I wonder if the CCC camps and WPA programs of the thirties will be re-instituted to accomplish all these wonderful projects FDR the second is contemplating?
FDR spent something like three times the incoming revenue when he was in office. Obama seems dedicated to outdoing him.
Will official policy on these crises solving projects deny employment to illegal aliens (excuse me) undocumented workers, since everyone knows that most Americns will not do these jobs?
Clyburn needs to stick to catering to the insatiable wants of his gerrymandered sixth district, and continue sucking up to Prissy Pelosi.
Mark Sanford is still governor and will be until his term expires, weather Clyburn or the rest of tax and spend us to oblivion crowd like it or not.
January 9, 2009 at 7:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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