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New call for Congress to spend more on infrastructure

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    St. Paul, Minnesota Mayor Chris Coleman weighs in

  • Duration 6:29
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I got spending bears to a big push for a lot more -- hear about -- -- says that's exactly.

What we need to do to get the economy going the democratic mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota -- To approve more infrastructure.

Spending.

There Chris Coleman joins -- right now mayor armed.

Given the Dicey track record on such spending here and everywhere what makes isn't doing more is gonna be the charm.

Why don't think it's been a Dicey track record at all I think it's been a pretty proven record of success for decades in this country and are grown up have you seen our growth it's barely -- at all.

Well what I've seen is critical infrastructure projects that have allowed our businesses and corporations to move goods and more efficiently quicker.

For people to get in out of airports the of the basic infrastructure that's critically important for people to get to work to get to school.

And for our economies to grow and if you don't invest in this kind of infrastructure.

It's gonna hamper our company's it's gonna hamper our citizens it is gonna make a very very difficult for us to do the basic.

Things that cities and in -- all across America need to to keep on moving forward.

Well that's assuming the money we committed infrastructure spending and that's what you believe -- Has even been sinister completed of roads and the bridges and everything else.

The airports everything is up to speed and running again I don't think it is yet but secondly you're talking about spending money we don't have.

Well listen for the first of all I think that we you can come to the Twin Cities of -- on this Minneapolis and see very clearly where infrastructure spending has made a huge difference.

We're in the middle of a light rail construction project that will connect downtown Saint Paul to downtown Minneapolis connect the university of Minnesota -- largest universities in the country.

The State Capitol complex -- over thirteen different medical centers along that line.

Critical for students critical for employees at -- hospitals critical for for commerce to -- You can go to the 35 W bridge that collapsed and killed thirteen people.

And though it was a tragic loss of life from the dozens and and and if not hundreds of families whose lives are changed forever.

But that affected -- business community and made it very difficult to move through this through this area.

It made difficult transport goods from one part.

The Twin Cities to another.

-- might be right outside a certain measure improved just people getting around and all that but I just look at the aggregate national number.

And I think for all the money we've invested the trillions when you think of stimulus.

And some of these other rescues.

The bottom line is that we are are just -- appeared.

Where we had a surprisingly weak employment report factory orders are now going in reverse housing isn't budging retail sales are slowing.

If this is what we get spending over -- trillion dollars -- there.

Well what would we get if we didn't invest that a role.

Well for -- for -- -- -- -- and invest that at all you would have you are at our ports across this country including a parked on the Mississippi River in the -- call.

Shutting down because they wouldn't be able to continue operations and you were shut -- businesses that were dependent upon those sports.

And dependent upon barge traffic on the Mississippi River for not fixing our.

Are -- and -- systems -- for not fixing our airport system it makes it very very difficult.

In the city in this state of Minnesota you don't.

Harrowing morning manner I guess the part -- -- talk about how deeply invested -- -- -- -- No no we don't agree don't is that we don't we -- over -- trillion dollar deficit we're piling them up to the point of having more that we -- Then what we make in this country that is AO global first near you your ideas might well very -- you might recognize the value in doing them.

But we don't have the money to do them.

Well -- I would disagree that because if you look at our leaders went when the transportation bill is passed in the Minnesota State Legislature presented to then governor Pawlenty.

He vetoed it who rallied behind that bill to get over overridden by the state legislature.

It was a business leadership -- the twin city community in the fortune 500 companies that Tony fortune 500 companies in this in this area.

That said we -- -- need that.

Where will understand it wasn't broken we -- content our country it's.

What Florida -- may or don't you understand what broke.

What I what -- what I -- it don't understand is how you can sit there and say that we're gonna grow our way into the future by not investing.

There's absolutely no way that you can continue to do it so it's not just about the jobs for the people that are.

Good thing there's any I don't care if Italy instead of the government calling the shots about what should be strategically invested is there any wisdom at all.

With giving.

Average folks their money back so they can decide what did.

Well the average folks can't build a freeway on their -- the average folks can't build a rail system.

Yeah whatever happens I suppose -- the money to do.

What they wanted with their money it would provide the revenues were.

For you to address the things that you consider vital not that it -- I would agree that's what we have and as I'm sure ordinarily you people are.

You know if you look at the fact that we have fundraiser guests acts and any significant way in the state of Minnesota for years and yet the condition of our -- to deteriorate it.

The the amount of time that people are stuck in traffic has increased dramatically the loss of revenue that is that has accrued to -- I I was Gonzalez -- you seem to be caught up on on on on people getting caught in traffic and not people in this country.

Getting caught up in a morass of red ink and spending.

That shows no resolution and all I'm saying is when we're when you're building and -- -- which poll you kind of put the -- down.

You also have to invest in the future you have to invest in the critical infrastructure that's gonna make this country common good our company's success aren't that you can't advance -- don't have right.

If if companies are more successful they can hire more people -- we can put more money into the economy.

If you can get to the job sooner because you're not stuck in -- traffic jam.

-- not wasting gas because her because you're stuck up for twenty or thirty minutes a day while your cars idling in the middle of a free -- All of those things are ultimately and I think that the problem is we don't look at the big picture.

We look at the most narrow part of the corner it's like it's like a horse on the at the Kentucky Derby that's got the blinders on -- I don't know where little respect I think you're not look at the big picture you're looking at -- getting people out of traffic jams my hat's off to your.

But you're not looking at the big picture of nationally and are not getting.

Any bang for all those box that's -- -- -- -- Can a little -- come to the trusses are short right but there are no -- in the Twin Cities this man that's all I'm saying about it's it's like a whole country.

That feels it's it's wasting a lot of money that's.

I I can go to I can go to towns and Virginia can go to towns in New York I can go to that I don't go to the traffic congestion that's going to be caused by the offering and our Internet traffic and that's attractive man thank you are such as traffic it's understanding that he noticed this are.

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