Ohio Mayors are driving around the state by bus this week saying Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will be the best president for cities. They visited Cleveland one day after Donald Trump said Democrats have failed the inner city communities. Ideastream’s Mark Urycki reports. . .
Over a 4 day stretch this week some 20 mayors are traveling to 18 cities. Four of them joined Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson on the steps of City Hall. He said mayors tend to cross party lines to cooperate and solve problems.
“In urban centers or even in rural and suburban communities we work together. I work with Republican mayors, Democratic mayors and we tend to have the same issues so we don’t look at party as much as we look at how do we help our constituents.”
But Tuesday Donald Trump told an audience in Cleveland Heights saying cities run by Democrats are horrible – and in some cases “less safe than Afghanistan.” He promised his infrastructure plan would do more for cities and African Americans.
“I want to rebuild our country. And I want to rebuild our inner cities. It’s time. It’s time..”
But Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley says Trump lacks the kind of specific plans that Clinton has prepared.
“From the first 100 days she will put in a $275 B infrastructure plan. You can actually go online and read what she has to say which is not something you can do on the Trump campaign which every day is a new idea that comes through his head.”
The mayors, who included former Jacksonville FL mayor Alvin Brown, Indepedence Mayor Anthony Togliatti, and Warrensville Hts. Mayor Brad Sellers, also praised Clinton’s plans for helping small businesses, job creation for young people, and her support for a hike in the national minimum wage.
Trump has not released details about his infrastructure plan but when asked on Fox TV said it would be twice as large as Clinton’s.
Mark.Urycki@ideastream.org