White House to announce efforts for 'Promise Zones'
Updated 9:34 a.m. ET, 1/9/2014
White House (CNN) – The White House is finally following on an initiative in 2013’s State of the Union, just three weeks before he lays out his new agenda for this year.
President Obama will host an event in the East Room on Thursday to announce what they refer to as “Promise Zones”- economically hard-hit areas where the White House will focus efforts to attract investments to overall improve the areas with job creation, economic security, education, affordable housing, and public safety.
While the President originally touted the initiative in his 2013 State of the Union address last February, Thursday’s event will be the first official launch of the program.
The White House will announce efforts in San Antonio, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Southeastern Kentucky, and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma for local governments and businesses to partner with the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy and other agencies to invest in workforce training, educational opportunities and community revitalization projects.
Those areas, White House officials say, are among the top 20 places most adversely affected by the recession. Each neighborhood or area in the “Promise Zone” has laid out specific goals and will be held accountable by program administrators and third-party experts to track their results.
In San Antonio, Mayor Julian Castro has been applauded by the White House for his efforts to work with federal programs and investments from local businesses to revitalize neighborhoods. The Eastside area of the city has partnered with St. Philip’s College for job training programs in energy, healthcare, and aerospace/advanced manufacturing jobs, among other initiatives.
“Investing in and rebuilding hard-hit communities are important parts of the President’s plan to restore the basic bargain at the heart of the American story – that every child should have a fair chance at success. And that, no matter who you are or where you’re from, if you’re willing to work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to find a good job, feel secure in your community, and support a family,” a White House official said about tomorrow’s event.
The White House has cited the Youngstown, Ohio area as an example of success as a “manufacturing innovation institute” which has turned around a once-shuttered manufacturing warehouse into a thriving 3-D printing center. In 2012, President Obama announced his plan to invest $1 billion in a network of up to 15 similar cities.
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I can't wait for liberals to tout this and say how great it is. This is scary. First, you now have the govt actually dictating winners an losers. And secondly, and more important, I believe a key component of this is......wait for it.....TAX CUTS.
I'm looking forward to the twisting and turning of the Rudys, Sniffits and Tampa Tims. This should be awesome
What? San Antonio ranks 9th in job growth already. Lots of medical, defense and oil and gas. Not exactly a down and out city, but bring it on.
Well the people are begging to be seen as a public eye because they effect those in the public eye now they will get to
I am sure the republicans will try to destroy this plan as well.
OMG the guy threw away over 800 billion on those green companies, and they're all out of business….come obama enough, just get out of the way, stop the job killing tax increases and the over the top EPA and and and…..
Government Labor Camps?
Terrific idea just as long as the owners of these factories are willing to pay American workers and not send the jobs to China, Vietnam, Honduras, India!
Then again, this about creating jobs in the US so I am pretty sure the teaklans will oppose anything and everything about it.
GOP Governors and Mayors have been doing this same thing without a billion dollars of taxpayers money. Once the federal government doles out cash to campaign donors, this initiative is destined to fail. President Obama tried this same program with Solendra, Evergreen, First Solar, Fiskars and so many other start-ups that are no longer prosperous.
Are we really going to let him spend another $1B of our hard earned working class tax dollars?
All talk... No action... Nothing in writing. This is the same Administration that claimed a "laser-focus on unemployment and the economy", but all we have gotten in year one of term two was:
– months of failed gun control
– fundraising
– gay marriage
– fundraising
– push for amnesty for criminal immigrants
– golf and fundraising
– raising the debt ceiling
– giving $ billions to other countries
– pushing to spend $ billions supporting terrorists in Syria.
– fundraising
– causing the 2013 Obama Governmrnt Shutdown
– implementing the train-wreck known as Obamacare
Haven't seen any effects of the "laser focus" that was promised before. Why should we believe in this empty promise.
Can't USA make coffee cups? Idiots.