Ohio mayors: Compromise on debt deal

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

The White House says it has received a letter signed by more than 20 mayors in Ohio asking the president and members of the state’s Congressional delegation to work quickly toward a compromise to raise the federal borrowing limit.

The mayors represent both the Republican and Democratic parties.

The group cites Ohio’s June unemployment rate of 8.8 percent, saying 500,000 state residents are out of work. They write, “If the country stops paying its bills now, those numbers will only get worse.”

They say federal budget uncertainty could hurt programs such as community development grants, community-oriented policing and Social Security.

The White House says Congress must raise the debt ceiling by Tuesday or the government will run out of cash to pay bills.