Mayor Mufi Hannemann will join eight other mayors in Washington, D.C., next week to lobby Congress for a $25 billion economic stimulus package on behalf of 154 cities.

      Hannemann Heads To D.C. 

     

 

Mayor Mufi Hannemann travels to Washington D.C for a meeting to lobby congress for billions of worth of projects in cities across America.

 

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The package could fetch $500 million for Honolulu.

The goal is to create jobs and fix municipal infrastructure with federal funding, Hannemann said. The package, put together by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was released last month.

For Honolulu it could mean 2,900 jobs and 28 one-year projects in areas of housing, public safety, transportation and sewers, costing $456 million, he said.

The mayors' package coincides with plans by President-elect Barack Obama to save or create 2.5 million jobs to fight the recession.

Hannemann will leave for Washington late tonight. On Monday he will visit Capitol Hill along with mayors from such cities as New York and Los Angeles.

“;I think my presence will make a difference not only in helping the city of Honolulu, but helping cities throughout America,”; he said, adding that he was invited on the trip because he is a member of the group's advisory board and has contacts in Washington.

Beyond the $25 billion plan, the contingent will unveil a second round of requests on Monday.

Officials are still penciling in details of the second round, but Honolulu could see an extra $50 million and about 15 two-year infrastructure projects. No one knows yet how many jobs it will create.

Before returning to Honolulu, Hannemann will stop in Chicago on Tuesday to work on a task force trying to win the 2016 Summer Olympic Games bid for Chicago. An Olympics in the U.S. would fill 40,000 hotel rooms and cause a spurt in Honolulu's tourism, he said.

Although the city banned some travel because of declining tax revenue, Hannemann challenged anyone to disagree with the trip.

“;This is so important,”; Hannemann said. “;This is about economic stimulus; this is about economic recovery.”;

He compared the trip to the National Governors Association meeting in Philadelphia earlier this week when 48 governors and governors-elect met with Obama to discuss the economy. Hannemann faulted Gov. Linda Lingle for staying home.

Lingle, who says she plans to meet with Obama later, has said she did not miss anything.