Biden Promotes Obama's Jobs Plan In Flint
FLINT (WWJ/AP) - Vice President Joe Biden has told public safety officers in Michigan that the Obama administration's jobs plan will help struggling cities like Flint.
Biden was speaking midday Wednesday at a fire department building in Flint to promote the American Jobs Act, which would pump $5 billion into supporting jobs for police and firefighters. He says everything flows from keeping citizens safe.
"There is no exaggeration in the statement I'm about to make ... it will bring back at least 15 (thousands) to as many as 18,00 cops who have been laid off. There are 30,000 vacancies in American law enforcement, local law enforcement," Biden said.
The White House says Biden is to be at a Grand Rapids-area school later Wednesday to focus on plans to put workers back on the job by spending $25 billion to rebuild and modernize schools.
Biden says the plan will help struggling cities like Flint who badly needs the money to help keep citizens safe.
"In 2008, when Flint had 265 sworn officers on the police force, there were 35 murders and 91 rapes in this city. In 2010, when Flint had only 144 police officers, the murder rate climbed to 65, and rapes, just to pick two categories, climbed to 229," Biden said.
Biden said there are only 125 officers in Flint this year and he expects crime rate to be higher because of it.
Obama's $450 billion overall jobs plan would reduce payroll taxes on workers and employers, extend benefits to long-term unemployed people, and help local governments keep teachers, police officers and firefighters on the job.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
