Monday, October 22, 2012
Photo
Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic speaks during Sunday’s “Mayors for Obama” bus tour stop in Warren.
By Sean Barron
WARREN
The essence of the Nov. 6 general election is the choice between continued economic growth or the return to failed policies that created many problems and struggles the country is still grappling with, the mayors of several cities contend.
That was one of the mes-sages the mayors tried to drive home during a “Mayors for Obama” bus tour that made a Sunday afternoon stop at the Organizing for America office, 155 S. Park Ave.
Sponsoring the tour was the Obama for America — Ohio campaign.
Speaking to an estimated 70 supporters of President Barack Obama were Warren Mayor Doug Franklin, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Massillon Mayor Kathy Catarzo-Perry and Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic. Also addressing the audience was Clair Higgins, former mayor of Northampton, Mass.
Four years ago, at the start of the economic recession, Franklin had to lay off some police officers to save the city money, he recalled. Thanks largely to many of Obama’s policies, however, the country and the Mahoning Valley are slowly climbing out of the recession, the mayor said, adding that his city is hiring some safety-force members.
Perry, who’s been Massillon’s mayor for 10 months, said she regretted having to furlough 27 city employees after having inherited a $2.7 million deficit. Thanks to a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant made possible by Obama, however, she’s been able to recall 10 firefighters and nine police officers, among others, she told the crowd to applause.
Perry, who’s also a registered nurse, also pointed to what she sees as the importance of Planned Parenthood and sharply criticized Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney’s plans to decimate the agency.
“Planned Parenthood plays a vital role in society, and Mitt Romney wants to take it away, and we can’t allow that,” she said, adding that Obama also supports increased funding to cities as well as making college more affordable.
Nutter blasted the Republican presidential nominee for what he said was Romney’s shifting positions on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. As governor of Massachusetts, Romney supported a similar health care measure, yet he’s determined to repeal the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as “Obamacare,” if elected president, Nutter said.
“There’s always something a little less true with Mitt Romney that what he says,” Nutter continued.
“[Romney] will say anything to anyone, anywhere, at any time to get elected,” said Plusquellic, who has served 39 years in local government.
It would have been impossible for anyone in less than four years to completely dig the country out of the recession, yet Obama has continually tried to be bipartisan, the Akron mayor noted.
Higgins, who was Northampton’s mayor from 2000 to September 2011, noted that Massachusetts was facing a deficit but had a rainy-day fund set aside when Romney became governor in 2002.
During his four years as governor, yearly economic growth for the state was significantly greater than that seen in many of its cities, including Northampton, Higgins explained, adding that she was forced to lay off police, firefighters and teachers as a result.
As governor, Romney vetoed about 800 bills, more than 700 of which were overridden via bipartisan efforts. He also cut funding for breast- and cervical-cancer research and child care, and reduced state aid, yet continued to claim he was bipartisan, said Higgins, who works for a nonprofit agency.
“So, is he bipartisan? You decide,” she told the crowd.
Higgins added: “Choices are stark in this election. We know why Obama is the right choice for America.”
She also expressed sadness about the loss of George McGovern, the 1972 Democratic nominee for president, who died Sunday.