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As the Democratic Party prepares to nominate a new candidate for the highest office in the land later this week, mayors of major cities in attendance at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago are telling delegates, officials and other attendees that housing — particularly affordable housing — remains a pressing need.
Speaking with Marketplace.org about housing issues in their localities, Democratic mayors are urging recognition of an ongoing affordable housing crunch that they hope the party — and voters — will pay more attention to in the months ahead.
“At the top of that list is housing,” Mayor Andrew Ginther of Columbus, Ohio, said during a news conference at the event. “It is the leading issue that American mayors cite when talking about the big challenges facing their cities. The next administration and Congress must pass the largest and most comprehensive investment legislation in housing in American history.”
Economic indicators appear generally positive, but there is a disconnect between those metrics and the moods of everyday Americans who face the bite of higher costs.
Deficits have also grown larger. As the convention began, Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled her campaign’s plans to pay for new investments by increasing the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%, partially undoing the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) signed into law by then-President Donald Trump.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson described a need to shift the financial burden away from working-class people who are feeling pinched by costs. In terms of appealing to voters, Johnson told Marketplace.org that a recent Harris proposal for a $25,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit should resonate.
“There’s too much of a burden on working people in this country,” Johnson said. “The good news is the message already exists. Now, we have the messenger. And the people of America will make the right decision, and they will elect.”
Harris is set to formally accept the Democratic nomination for the presidency on Thursday. This follows last week’s unveiling of some of her housing policy proposals.
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