Akron Mayor Backs Middle Class Tax Cut Framework

Statement of Don Plusquellic
Mayor of Akron
Former President, U.S. Conference of Mayors (2004-2005)

I have been asked numerous times my opinion on the agreement reached by President Obama and Republican congressional leaders. I want to weigh-in on these important issues that are currently before the U.S. Congress.

Mayors are accustomed to want to make things happen because they don’t have the luxury of sitting back and trying to blame someone else.

This country is based on compromise, and from its beginnings - when our founders created a bicameral legislature - it was expected that congressional representatives would sit down and work out complex problems together.

While I understand the serious concerns of Democratic representatives, when you are confronted with an issue as important as extending unemployment benefits to the neediest in our communities and the overall issue of moving the country forward, I believe it was the right thing to do to work out a solution.

Like most Americans, I hope this lays the foundation of a dialogue that will continue and will result in actions from Washington that will address our problems. Given the President’s initiative, Republican legislators also have a responsibility to meet the President halfway in future negotiations.