Mayor Pureval talks decline in crime, Brent Spence Bridge historic grant, Bengals, on national stage

Helena Battipaglia

helena.battipaglia@cincinnati-oh.gov

While in Washington D.C. with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor Aftab on Jan. 20 took the opportunity to highlight Cincinnati’s most recent successes: Homicides being down by 18 percent in the City, the historic Brent Spence Bridge federal grant, and the Bengals winning streak and response during Damar Hamlin’s recovery.

Full video on MSNBC’s Morning Joe here: https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/cincinnatti-mayor-says-democrats-are-getting-stuff-done-while-gop-in-chaos-160281157591

“If not for the American Recovery Act (ARP), Cincinnati would have failed. And that’s specifically true for public safety,” Pureval said. A year into my administration, homicides are down by 18%, and it’s because we have the funding necessary to pay our public safety professionals…In the next couple of weeks, Cincinnati will be announcing two very important, sensible gun reforms to try and continue to tamp down on violence. But we would not have been able to do that without President Biden’s leadership on ARP.”

At the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the mayor has been discussing several issues impacting cities across the country including immigration, affordable housing and critical infrastructure. The Biden Administration’s historic investment in Infrastructure is the reason Cincinnati and Kentucky will receive long-awaited funds for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, which the mayor outlined during his Morning Joe appearance.

“Cincinnati got the largest federal grant in our country’s history, $1.6 billion. And we did it by partnering in a bipartisan way, putting all the partisan crap aside and just getting stuff done for our citizens,” Pureval said.  “And what is most impactful is on the day that President Biden was in Cincinnati to announce the $1.6 billion, Leader McConnell was there, Senator Sherrod Brown was there talking about the importance of bipartisanship.”

And of course, Pureval touched on the Bengals vs. Bills matchup happening on Jan. 22. He also remarked on Cincinnati’s overwhelming support of Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin during his recovery at UC Medical Center, after is heart stopped following a play in the first quarter while playing the Bengals in Cincinnati two weeks ago.

“We have the best ER residency program in the country, and you saw why that night. And then the city coming together, praying for him, showing up at the hospital, giving to his foundation. It was really inspiring. I’m so lucky to be able to lead a city like that. But look, on Sunday, we’re no longer Bills fans. We are in it to win it. We’re back. We’re going to make another run to the Super Bowl. The Bills, you know, they break those folding tables. We break passing records. It’s how we roll,” he said.

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