Mayor James J. Fiorentini > Press Release

For Immediate Release January 23, 2008

MAYOR HEADS TO WASHINGTON TO LOBBY FOR MONEY

WASHINGTON - Mayor James J. Fiorentini headed down to Washington DC to attend the Annual United States Conference of Mayors meeting.

While he is there, Fiorentini is going to meet with Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, Senator John Kerryand with representatives fromSenator Kennedy’s office to press Haverhill’s case for additional federal assistance.

Fiorentini said he would ask forspecificfederal assistance for the Hale Debt, for federal block grant relief, and for money for public schools to comply with the “No Child Left Behind”Law. In addition, he would seek specific funding for Haverhill capital projects.

Fiorentini said that the City needs additional funding to be able to provide basic care for its citizens:

“Almost every day I receive telephone calls or visits from someone stating that they can no longer make ends meet because oftheslumpingeconomy. People tell me that they’ve had to give up their houses because they cannot pay their mortgages. Other people tell me they cannot pay the heat bill because of rising oil costs. Still others tell me that they do not have health insurance and are forced to choose between getting medical care and paying rent or their fuel bill.

"As a City, we would like to grow our economic base. In order to do so, we need to make a number of capital improvements that will assist us in attracting business here. We cannot do that without assistance from the federal government.

"We are not looking for a hand-out, we are looking for a hand-up to allow us to grow our economic base and thereby increase our tax base.”