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Iorio Submits Wish List For Stimulus

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

cwade@tampatrib.com

Published: January 17, 2009

TAMPA - Mayor Pam Iorio has submitted a list of $695 million in projects she hopes will be considered as part of President-elect Barack Obama's federal stimulus package.

The list includes a request for a $300 million reclaimed water expansion project and other improvements Iorio says will create about 5,300 jobs.

In a letter Friday to U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, R-Tampa, Iorio said she was mindful that the city would be competing with other cities across the country for the federal funding.

"While all these projects are important we realize that every local community has a long list of needs," she wrote.

Among the projects:

•Citywide potable water upgrade, $300 million.

•Citywide water main replacement, $33.6 million.

•Encore project for Central Park Village, $27.9 million.

In November, the mayor submitted a $50 million list of projects to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which plans to lobby Congress for billions of dollars in infrastructure upgrades.

That list included dozens of infrastructure and public works projects that could be ready to go within 90 days of approval and would create about 1,600 new jobs in the city.

Congress is working on a stimulus package, but there are few details yet on how projects will be chosen, and what the requirements would be.

Democrats have proposed an $825 billion package. Obama hopes his plan would create or preserve more than 3 million jobs.

Though there are doubts about the plan, it's on a fast track through Congress in hopes of reaching Obama's desk within a month.
Tampa Bay area officials hope that when it's approved, they get a slice of the funding.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679

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