Akron Mayor Says City Is Holding Its Own

Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Topics: Economy, Politics, Other
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Akron mayor Don Plusquellic made his 22nd state of the city address today/Tuesday amidst a dramatic political environment, which includes a potential recall. ideastream®'s Kymberli Hagelberg reports.

More than 750 people filled packed the theater and banquet room of Akron’s Tangier restaurant to hear how the city’s longest-serving mayor will deal with the worst economy in decades.

Plusquellic: “Akron has held its own compared to other Ohio cities.”

Plusquellic touted his recent trips to Washington with the US Conference of Mayors to lobby for federal stimulus dollars. He said the stimulus package recognizes that cities are an important economic engine.

Plusquellic: “Our community will get over fourteen million directly for transportation projects and altogether approximately forty million to local agencies as a result of our actions.”

He also pointed out that Akron’s business incubator and the University of Akron have generated more patent applications than any city in Ohio, which should bode well for future jobs.

The mayor waited until the end of his speech to answer a petition drive to oust him from office.

Plusquellic: “Because of a loophole in the city charter and an attorney obsessed with getting power who has discovered that he needs only less than 2 percent of the adult population of the city, we may very well have to bear the expense of a special election to the tune of 175,000 dollars and more.”

Plusquellic said he won’t run for the US Senate seat of retiring Republican George Voinovich. Instead, Plusquellic will support Democrat Lee Fisher.

Kymberli Hagelberg 90.3