Villaraigosa lobbies for share of federal stimulus

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, in Washington, D.C., today with other big-city mayors to lobby for more of the transportation and green energy funds in the $900-billion economic stimulus package, said after a meeting with California House Democrats that he made a pitch for the money to be directed to local officials, rather than the state, which he said is already deferring transportation projects.

"This is a stimulus package to create jobs. States shouldn't be able to balance their budget with that money," Villaraigosa said, noting that the stimulus already includes aid to states.

The mayor is concerned that, given the budget morass in Sacramento, state lawmakers would use the money to balance the state budget.

Villaraigosa flew to Washington on Tuesday night to join a contingent of other mayors, including Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, to meet with White House officials and congressional leaders to ensure that local governments are not left out in the cold in the ongoing congressional debate of how to spend the money. Villaraigosa is scheduled to return by Thursday morning.

-- Richard Simon and Phil Willon

Comments

[susan]

He sounded pretty articulate and coherent on CNN talking to Wolf Blitzer today, his detractors notwithstanding. I think L A is right to want the Obama admin. to give a big chunk of California's money right to L A, since the state is broke and handing out IOU's even for tax REFUNDS which are due.

-- If the state won't give BACK people their own money, and has been raiding L A county gas taxes and other taxes that were approved by taxpayers to be re-invested locally, we sure can't trust the state to give money BACK to L A. Partly that's because the Republicans are intent on punishing L A and San Francisco (which deserves a fraction of L A's as a much, much smaller and wealthier city, despite being a true "sanctuary city"), but also because the State Assembly is just plain incompetent and childish.

The Democrats deserve their share of blame, too -- State Controller Chiang is grandstanding against Arnold in refusing to go along with worker furloughs, but has no problem giving taxpaying citizens IOU's for money we already sent TO Sacrmanento. And he's spending almost $1 million to redecorate his office!