It won't be all festivities and celebrations for Mayor Heather McTeer Hudson when she arrives in the nation's capital for the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.Sure, there will be inaugural balls and such, but Hudson is also going to work.“We're going to the inauguration on Tuesday and I've got meetings on Wednesday morning.”
Still, the historical significance of the event isn't lost on the mayor.“It's wonderful to be able to celebrate the first African-American president of the United States,” said Hudson. “It's truly momentous.
At the same time,” she added, “it's exciting to celebrate the president who is ready to come to work.”Hudson will continue her efforts to bring funding to Greenville for a variety of projects. The president-elect has pledged funds to help the nation's crumbling infrastructure, something the two-term mayor knows a lot about.Hudson will meet on Capital Hill with other mayors and congressional leaders.
“Specifically for me, it's the Greenville community and other communities around Greenville, making sure that our infrastructure needs are there at the table,” Hudson said. “We're not going seeking theme parks and seeking things that have come under fire by the larger media, that some of the cities are looking for.
“We're going for base infrastructure: streets, sewer, water,” she said. “And we don't want to be left out. We've got to hit the ground running from day one, making sure that our needs are there.
Hudson believes her plan will work.“How better to improve the United States of America, both from an economic standpoint and from a structural standpoint, than to put the money into infrastructure,” said Hudson. “(Obama) is working not only with state governments but also local organizations, mayors, city council members, - organizations that have actual input, have hands-on contact - with how these dollars would be spent in our community.
“He's really getting a good idea of what it's going to take to get the structure of this nation back into play,” Hudson continued. “But also how many jobs is that going to create, what's the amount of money that is going to go into that?”
Hudson said when Obama unveiled his infrastructure stimulus package, he emphasized the need for information for projects that would be ready to start quickly. Going on the belief that “if you don't ask, you won't get it,” or possibly, “dream big,” Hudson has a wish list totaling nearly $338 million.
Hudson recently began a new feature at City Hall, “Open Office with the Mayor.” Citizens are invited to visit with the mayor at to discuss concerns, ideas, or plans they have regarding Greenville. Open Office is designed to give citizens the opportunity to just stop by and chat.
“I want citizens to feel free to stop by and share their ideas, compliments and complaints,” Hudson said. “In a city with over 40,000 residents, it can be difficult at times to get to every single person. This will allow us a day each week dedicated to just hearing from our citizens and improve our overall communications.”
The sessions will be held every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the mayor's office. No appointments are necessary. Persons will be seen on a first come first serve basis.
By TERRI FERGUSON SMITH, Delta Democrat Times
Tuesday, January 20, 2009, will be a momentous day for this country and the world. A new era will begin ushered in by one of the most challenging economies since the great depression. President Obama will need the support of every American to achieve his goals. It is a time for all of us to put aside our personal views and stand behind the man we have elected as President.
No one man can clean up the mess we have "permitted" in Washington D.C., but I believe that we will see significant steps toward that goal under Obama's leadership. Between the economy and the war, I can not imagine why anyone would want the job of President, but Mr. Obama seems to think he can make a difference and we should all commend his dedication and fortitude.
With a little positive thinking and a great deal of support from all Americans, perhaps President Obama will be the catalyst for change that this country has needed for years. We need a leader to whom we can look to for strength, honesty and support of the freedoms on which America was founded.
I hope you join me in wishing President Barack Obama the best of luck as our 44th President of the United States of America.
Forthright
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23 comments:
Anyone have an idea when the next mayor election is?
Is that ALL you can say???? I voted for Obama. I'm proud of my country for electing a President that we can be proud of, and I sincerely hope that all who harbor resentment toward him for whatever reason will look past it and support him as our leader. People, you know that your children are listening to your comments about this man---use the opportunity to teach love instead of hate---acceptance instead of racism. Hate is learned at HOME.
The Mayor is after free money i guess. Greenville was not built on Free money. Greenville is on its downfall because of give away programs.
Is it possible that the Mayor used this as a business trip so the taxpayers of Greenville could pay for the trip ? Could she have not gone after the inaguration ?
I wish our new president much success but he will not have success by bailing out every little town in the USA. My thoughts are maybe he should come to Greenville and cut out some of the Govt checks that come in every month to the people who do not work or have 4 or 5 children and cannot afford one. Awww let me stop: we all know what the problems are in Greenville and we all know Hudson is not the answer to solving them.
Good luck President Obama and if you will just help us get rid of all the thugs and build us a new jailhouse with the right leadership we can turn this thing around on our own. Just cut off all Govt money to those under 55 and put that money in the city budget and we will never ask for anything else. Dong this will eliminate roughly 45% of our population and 100% of our problems.
Why is it that when all of the other 43 presidents were elected there was no mention of color, race or racism?
All of a sudden a BLACK man get elected its all about race and the BLACK people? I have watched all the news channels and with-in three mins of watching, the word black is mentioned numerous of times. Now days its all about BLACKS and how bad the WHITES have ran the country?
I'm excited about getting Obama in as president but it gets on my nerves that its not about getting a new pres its all about the new BLACK president.
811pm I don't think it will ever happen. Good thought! Welfare checks will live on as a way of life. I just hope the working people will have a little left for retirement when its my time to collect.
The Mayor has a heckuva a wish list, and that is all that it is. She knows she will be lucky to even get one wish done, much less the millions she is asking for. I wish it were that easy.....some of her wishes I don't understand...the old Mason building on Washington Ave. restoration?? That belongs to MACE not the city, why is she asking for federal city grant funding for it???? Who does she owe at MACE?? A health and wellness center SPECIFICALLY for the GPD and GFD personnell??? 2 million for that??? I really don't see a need for that expense for two groups only...they can go to the Y, the city can conver their membership a lot cheaper than 2 million wasted.
The Mayor went to Germany and Spain in November for what?? Because she is the Mayor that is why...did she bring any results of her trips...of course not... now D. C. courtesy of tax dollars?? Duh?? I have no recall of any prior Mayors making so many out of the country trips or even in the country trips, during their tenure...why does she??? Because she loves to travel and abandon her job at home!
As for Obama, I am sorry, I am not one of the worshipers. I do not believe he can perform miracles...I wish he could...just as other presidents before him, he is not or should not be almighty and all powerful, that is not Democracy, that is communism and a dicatatorship. Unless Congress, The House and The Senate support him beyond anything ever known in history and that is not likely, then his hands can be just as tied...if Bush was so bad, why is Obama adopting his policies and personnel in his assignments and procedures???? Hmmmm...maybe he has come to realize about the war, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" The war is in the final stages of victory, any changes or schedules pushed ahead might cause a backlash of consequence ever known to mankind. He better stop and think before he makes "changes" until he knows what the heck he is doing and the potential consequences.
As for me, I will not be watching the Inaugaration....not because he is a black president; but because I feel and truly believe he is more of a false prophet than a leader.
Congressmen get $4,700 cost-of-living pay increase
Ana Radelat • Clarion-Ledger Washington Bureau • January 12, 2009
Buzz up! WASHINGTON — Even before they did a minute's worth of work last week, Mississippi's lawmakers in Washington got a $4,700 raise.
The wage hike that went into effect after the 111th Congress was gaveled in on Tuesday raised the average congressional salary from $169,300 to $174,000.
Although it's pegged to a cost-of-living index, the raise has provoked scorn among those seeking to cut federal spending. Some lawmakers - including several Mississippians - also think it's a bad time to get a pay raise.
"It's one of the most ridiculous things Congress is doing right now," said Paul Williams, vice president of policy for Citizens Against Government Waste. "We have people hurting right now financially and they (lawmakers) are sitting down getting a pay raise."
Williams wants Congress to vote to stop the raise but says chances are slim that will happen. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has not indicated she is willing to allow a vote that would stop the raise, nor has Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Yet many lawmakers, perhaps feeling heat from cash-strapped constituents, say they're willing to forgo the raise.
"I just think this is a bad moment for us to take a pay raise," said 1st District Rep. Travis Childers, a Democrat. "I'm not opposed to a pay raise. I'm just opposed to one this year."
Childers is a co-sponsor of a bill introduced by Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., that would stop next year's automatic pay increase.
Mitchell sponsored a similar bill last year in hopes it would stop the $4,700 pay raise that went into effect last week.
But that bill drew only 34 sponsors, far short of the 218 needed to propel the legislation to a floor vote.
Things are different this year. Since Tuesday, Mitchell's bill has drawn 63 co-sponsors.
"When our constituents are sacrificing just to make ends meet, I believe this is the wrong time to pad our paychecks," Mitchell wrote in a letter to Pelosi earlier this month. "I believe that working together, members of Congress should stop the next automatic pay increase from taking effect in 2010."
Congress approved a law in 1989 that made the yearly increases automatic and pegged the hikes to the Labor Department's Employment Cost Index.
Congress has rejected the automatic increase only six times since then. The latest was in 2007, when Democrats used their new majorities in Congress to block the pay hike to retaliate for GOP inaction on a minimum wage hike. This year's pay raise will cost taxpayers $2.5 million.
Second District Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat, said he "would support an effort on an up-or-down vote without a problem."
He said pay raises were voted on when he was a Hinds County supervisor, and he would be "very comfortable" if Congress adopted the same practice.
Some lawmakers say they need the pay hikes to keep up with cost-of-living increases, especially in the nation's capital, where prices for housing and other necessities are high.
Lawmakers also say their jobs require them to pay for two residences, one in Washington and one in their home states, stressing family budgets.
But 3rd District Rep. Gregg Harper, who was sworn in to office Tuesday, said he would have supported efforts to stop this year's pay raise had he been in Congress last year.
"If it comes up again, I'll vote against the increase," Harper, a Republican, said.
Mississippi's other congressional members - 4th District Rep. Gene Taylor, a Democrat, and Republican Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker - could not be reached for comment.**
Typical!!!! Where are the Cost of living funds for the citizens...oh yeah ...bail out tax dollar programs!!!
Why is the city council allowing the mayor to make these trips? Or does she not have to have the approval.
The council is famous for tie votes where the Mayor has to vote to break the tie. A lot of the items that are voted on are pre-determined before the council meeting. Our council is on a buddy system just as many others are; you vote my way and i will return the favor.
The Mayor unfortunately has done more to divide our community than any Mayor we have ever had. She is so blind to this that she does not realize how bad it will hamper her in her political career down the road.
The Council goes along with most anything the Mayor wants..Why?? Good question...intimidation and manipulation mainly. Afterall, she is Diva McTeer with money and connections through her father. They all want to be re-elected too.
well its sad to say but that is another example of a black taking advantage of a system.
and a weak council...we need to clean house in the next elections of 2012.
and a weak council...we need to clean house in the next elections of 2012.
2012? is that the next mayor election? I was thinking it was sooner
If any of you watched man on the street ask 25 blacks why they are voting for Obama not one of them could state one policy he stood for. He proceeded to start naming off 5 to 6 of Mccains policy with them thinking it was Obamas policies and everyone of them said yes I agree with everything you just said, those are the reasons I'm voting for Obama. Then he told them what I just read to you were in fact John Mccains policies and you agreed with them. You should have seen their faces. They felt like stooges which they should have. Now you know what the truth is behind the black vote for Obama. It was all just skin color.
well from what I have heard, only 30% of the total that elected Obama was black the rest70% was white. Not sure what the deal there was after all the controversy Obama had behind him.
If Obama had been white, we would be inaugurating John McCain... which is real scary. Let's give the guy a chance!
Chance? I hope our future is not in the hands of "chance", good grief!
He is never going to come close to his idol Lincoln and she will never have the fashion sense of Jackie O...that was proven tonight at the many dances...what was that?? Prom dress 1973???
I did not vote for Barak Obama, however, I think he is perfectly equiped to be a great president. He also seems quite confident that he can do the job.
C'mon, if you voted to re-elect "W", how could you be so nervous about Obama?
Night and Day difference between those two. No one ever thought W could walk on water, as a lot of the followers of Obama do.
Here is another opinion expressed by a Hollandale citizen from the today's Washington Post....
copy and paste:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/18/AR2009011802326.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=new
I think Obama has already made a mistake. If you don't know he has cut out many jobs and cut the pay of aids. OK That sounds good that he is trying to cut down on the amount that the Gov spends. But in this economy, cutting jobs is not the right idea. He needs to promote jobs and pay for the US!!
I believe he should be cutting some of the out of control spending outside of the country and not inside the country, yet!!
if mccain had been elected would diva mcteer have gone to the inauguration? i think not.
ANONYMOUS 3:14
It was 30% of the total votes recieved were black. But 99.9% of the blacks voted for Hussien Obama. And none of them could even come up with one reason why, except the color of his skin. And now that he has breifed by security on what is really happening he has started to back track on everything he promised during his campaign. So, we shall see what he's made of.
Yep we all knew that was going to happen anyway!
He promised a bunch of crap that he knew nothing about.
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