Lima City officials and union leaders tout the local benefit of the $1 trillion federal infrastructure improvement plan.
Mayor-Elect Sharetta Smith was joined by the presidents of the local UAW and the Lima Building Trades unions to talk about the funding plan. The bill will give Ohio over $9 billion for highway improvements and nearly $500 million for bridges. Plus, there is another $1.4 billion heading to the state to improve water infrastructure, and millions more to increase broadband access around the state. All of that work could mean more work for union labor locally. The bill was signed into law last week, and Mayor-Elect Smith says that the new funding source could be a benefit to help with some of Lima’s aging infrastructure problems.
“We still have to look through what are the regulations, the regulations to be able to use it,” says Smith. “I am excited to be able to look at this as a resource, to be able to fix some of the issues that we do have across our community. The roads, the bridges, and even expanding broadband access. Even looking at lead service lines as respect for our water service as well.”
The group also talked about the benefits of the $1.7 trillion build-back better bill. The plan has passed the democratic-led U.S. House and includes an extension of the child tax credit and create universal preschool. The plan could have tougher time in the U.S. Senate with the Republicans and Democrats are split evenly.
