WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — From improving the infrastructure of roads to eliminate potholes, to investing in city projects, that is what some of the federal funding will be invested into.
Since last year, more than $107 million have been allocated, but Mayor Todd Gloria says additional funding is necessary.
More than 140 businesses and civic leaders from San Diego traveled to Washington D.C. to lock down federal funding that could advance community projects, related to cross border commerce and economic development.
“San Diego has a lot of important projects going on, but this year it's especially important that we try to position the San Diego region to receive maximum federal investment,” said Mayor Gloria.
It's part of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual trip, where delegates head to the nation’s capital for three days and advocate for issues happening in their area.
“I want to say there is no doubt that we will be coming back again and again,” said Mayor Gloria. “It’s important to have the federal investment,”
The San Diego leaders raised concerns about infrastructure of rail transportation, airports, housing, homeless and clean water.
“We need funding for environmental issues, like the Tijuana River pollution, we’ve been very successful so far,” said the former Mayor of San Diego, who is now the president and CEO of The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Jerry Sanders. “Over the past year or so, with our congressional delegation stepping up. But we want to nail that down,”
He says there isn’t an exact number of how much federal funding is at stake, the main goal is to get the necessary funds that can go into investing in projects.
“Really, it's to get into the funding process. I know the president is putting out a budget today and many of the things that we have advocated in the past will be in that. We also put in the military, we lobby for them because they can’t lobby themselves,” said Sanders.
Even projects like the new Otay Mesa East Port of entry project happening at the border, was discussed at the news conference.
It’s meant to ease longer wait times for travelers and bolster cross-border trade.
“I mean, that’s a great example because that’s a project being funded by the U.S. and Mexico, and really it’s going to help with cross trade.”
One of the next steps of the project is knocking down the border barrier between Tijuana and Otay Mesa to construct the entryway of the port.
However, with huge investments like this, comes larger construction that needs funding. Which is why the visit will last three days and by that date civic leaders hope they can allocate necessary funds.
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