Dallas Mayor: Where's Our Stimulus Money?

" Dallas mayor Tom Leppard has criticized the handling of stimulus funds and the money isn't flying quickly enough efficiently. Aren't fair proportions to big cities for more of this take up this other issue is we're joined front Alice Texas. By -- leopard may have great to have them shed jobs are. Good meal with an afternoon all right so full understanding I'm actually from -- my understanding is that you're actually going to go ahead and start suspending. Out of the coffers in Dallas and then we pay yourself basically when the money came in from the federal government is not what's happening here."

" I think that's a fair way to say I think the concern that we expressed hope to concerned everybody has this. Potentially we're going to have these dollars come -- later than was anticipated. And hopefully as you mentioned in the last segment will see an economy a year from now it's much stronger than it is today and will be spending that money at a time when the consumer. And business spending has already -- yeah unfortunately it won't be used today when it really have an impact on increasing job so that's why the timing is so very important."

" You are Republican -- correction. But Dallas is nonpartisan say Dallas is nonpartisan city so I get the chance to run. As a nonpartisan okay we'll keep -- that but to say to that in Houston. We've got Democrats who are also complaining of the same thing I'm just trying to show our viewers that it is not a partisan issue here that. Even Democrats are complaining and saying that the money is not coming. Quickly enough. But the administration is saying that some of the funds are actually already going to things like senior citizens and veterans an educational funneling. Putting an end there can you just kind of explains what's what they might be meeting by that."

" Well -- include shouldn't be a partisan issue I mean I think the objective of the program was suspended dollars today when. People need to create jobs. That's what I think we're all concerned about being Democrat Republican or anything else. Is let's make sure the dollars are spent today that have an impact that CR economy arrives. If they're spent a year from now or two years as I mentioned we're all going to end up with significantly additional debt all of us and our kids are going to be hearing that. Debt service with -- that's why it's so important money gets spent now and not later."

" And you guys already have a real problem with your budget deficit I think it's ballooned to about a 119 million dollars already so. -- obviously down for the count here have you spoken to anybody in the administration is -- dialogue going."

" Well I think -- this kind of set the record straight in Dallas were a lot better positioned than most cities across the nation. Our revenues will be down about 78 million knock down -- 109 million dollars. And even at that we'll see relatively small cuts in services and at the same time we will not be increasing taxes and will be. Continuing investing public -- to be adding nearly 200 police officers this year as well as continuing to build our fire department. "

" The lineup that's -- a lot of others and why not raise property taxes and Allison Mina real hip pocket dolls actually the one bright spot. Nation why prices have not declined substantially cut across the country one at -- and revenue. That why why not -- album what -- putting the blame on the stimulus may not coming -- that it but the fact is there are things you could do with that the city. To make up for the -- financially doing when."

" Though I think we've got an obligation our taxpayers to make sure that we live within the resources that we have. We have been very careful very fiscally consistent. In not raising taxes we think that especially at a time like this one a lot of families do you have. Some challenges and some hard times the last thing they need is government to continue raise taxes that's I think why we're all concerned about some of those dollars to get spent in the future. And all of a sudden it increases the debt and then all of a sudden one way or another we're going to pay for."

" So what have you done I know that there have been some layoffs of city services but what more can be done to deal with the situation."

" Well what we're doing in the city of Dallas and try to live within our means it will mean some differences in some. Services reducing some of the hour of rec centers and libraries in those sorts thanks. But -- mentioned a moment ago we see a city that's continuing to move forward an economy that we think it's going to be in very good position as we see this recovery come we think we're going to be a position to springboard. That's why we want to make sure that we can that continue invest in major projects in downtown Dallas attorney project is a good example that. But also make sure that we continue to build our public safety but we're probably the only city in the nation exceeded 25% decline in crime over the last year and a half."

" Which is absolutely terrific but again I'm I'm going to push on this have you talked specifically if you can give us some names that anybody in the administration. Is there a line of communication going where you're saying guys we're ready for this flooding -- got."

" But I think we have -- both individually but also through the US conference of mayors to try to communicate how important is this. Again it's it's not just the mayor's issue or cities or -- I hope it's everybody's issue. To try to make sure that this program -- its its objectives and I know that there's some frustration back in Washington but again a lot of the part of this we -- make sure this -- that means. Spending a dollar -- but also things we haven't talked about allocating those dollars right we have a real concern. With the US conference of mayors of these dollars unfortunately are coming into the cities you look at the eighty. Major metropolitan areas across the country that comprise about 75%. Of the economy. But if you look at the surface transportation dollars less than half has gone to the city's. So that's an allocation that we think is a concern because the dollars aren't going where they can have the biggest impact that's the major metropolitan areas across our nation."

" May I can't -- best hero quick speculation in Texas you're gonna make a run for senator Kay Bailey agency which she. A step down you want to come out all of every Bell's talking about it."

" Bell what we're real happy and -- we've seen some great progress -- I think we got some. Good things going on and now I'm just trying to make it through the week."

" You know we we try to get down -- Newsom -- comes from Cisco currently going to announce his candidacy didn't buy it either but you're always welcome back here thank you very much taken -- Burton. Thanks I appreciate Jim -- sort of coming back anytime thank you."