Jan 9, 2009 6:57 am US/Eastern
Bloomberg Readies NYC Shopping List For Congress
Mayor Says If It's A Spending Spree Obama Wants, Then NYC Plans To Be At Head Of Hand-Out Line
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Allocating $246 million to fix the Brooklyn Bridge is just part of what Mayor Bloomberg wants to do with federal stimulus money.
© by Dave Frieder, All Rights Reserved
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Mayor Michael Bloomberg says NYC is ready to spend Congress' money. He has serious plans to rebuild the city's infrastructure.
CBS
Although most of the nation's governors and mayors will have their hands out, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has already sent Congress a detailed plan for how he'll spend their money.
Just call it two-part harmony -- President-elect Barack Obama wants to be the infrastructure president.
"At this particular moment only government can provide the short-term boost to lift us from a recession this deep and this severe," Obama said Thursday.
And Bloomberg wants to be the infrastructure mayor. He's even got a detailed plan.
The city has billions of projects that are all set and ready just waiting for Congress to say go:
* Harlem hospital could get a $130 million upgrade if Congress says yes.
* There is a billion dollar plan to build 20 new schools.
* $236 million to bring high-speed Internet access to 2,000 classrooms.
* $246 million to fix the Brooklyn Bridge.
* On Staten Island the mayor wants to build a new home for the 120th Precinct, create a 121st Precinct and to fix the ferry terminal in Saint George.
There are also plans to spend $28 million on a black heritage cultural center in the Weeksville section of Brooklyn.
"We have to make the kind of investments for our future that will give our children a future," Bloomberg said.
Americans agree that rebuilding our infrastructure is needed. In fact, a new poll found that 81 percent of Americans are prepared to pay 1 percent more in taxes to rebuild America's infrastructure.
"We need our infrastructure repaired desperately," said Bob Haggerty of the Upper East Side.
"I'd be willing to spend more for anything that improves our life," resident Bob Jacobs added.
"God knows the infrastructure is falling apart in our country so it seems like a very wise decision to me," said William Swan, also of the Upper East Side.
"I wouldn't be happy about it, but I think it's necessary," said Emily Palef.
As far as Mayor Bloomberg is concerned Congress couldn't act fast enough for him.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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