I read an article titled, “We love Lima, but must re-evaluate its progress.” It talks about tour community and the things we can be proud of. The colleges in our area and the medical facilities we have. We must be proud of the library and the Civic Center and the entertainment it brings in along with a symphony we call our own.
Then it goes on to question the city administration and its support of middle class people. “Frustrating to work to keep working so hard to make this community to be proud of and to have to support low income housing, government subsidized programs.” In the short term, do we just forget about them with little plan to bring them into middle class jobs with middle class wages.
Mayor Berger worked to save the jobs at BP refinery. During shutdowns it brings in workers weeks to months filling up the hotels and spending money in our community. When the first BRAC was announced, Berger brought people together to save General Dynamics from closing. And yes there was Dana going through bankruptcy and he was there. And Ford losing a line putting them at about 400 employees. We could have lost all of them.
None of these jobs fall in the city. These are middle class jobs with middle class wages that are spent in the stores and businesses in our community. They carry healthcare benefits used to sustain our hospitals employment. He was leading the fight to save them. All are still here and their employees spending their earnings here.
We can’t accuse Mayor Berger of neglecting middle class jobs. I’m voting Berger.
Fonda Cage, Lima
