Gravy Train: Can We Have $30 Million?

From pennlive.com and the Patriot News

If the city of Harrisburg can get into the handout line, what's to stop Morrisville?

Dear president-elect: Please send Harrisburg $96 billion
by JOHN LUCIEW, The Patriot-News, Thursday January 08, 2009, 6:24 PM

Harrisburg wants a $700 million slice of President-elect Barack Obama's estimated $1 trillion stimulus package, soon to be debated in Washington, D.C.

Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed said this week that he has compiled a laundry list of more than 30 "shovel ready" projects that could be funded under Obama's plan that is expected to be heavy on infrastructure development. "We're very hopeful," Reed said.

Reed said he submitted Harrisburg's wish list as part of a larger list compiled by some 640 cities by the United States Conference of Mayors. All told, the mayor's group put in for $96 billion to fund some 15,200 local infrastructure projects.

Among the Harrisburg highlights: $7.2 million for repaving of 75 streets, $3.1 million to hire 50 new police officers, $62 million to upgrade the William Penn high school campus, $2 million for bus stops with LED signs, and a whopping $98 million for the so-called southern gateway project at Paxton and Second streets. The mayor also seeks $22 million for the city's two downtown hotel proposals.

Reed said he doesn't expect to receive funding for all the project, but he said he'd like to see whatever money does come go directly to the city, instead of being funneled through the state.