Biden’s Senior Advisor Tom Perez tours Wilmington’s Federal Investments
WILMINGTON N.C. (WWAY) — Tom Perez, Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden, visited Wilmington to evaluate the progress of federally funded projects in the area. His tour highlighted key developments and the impact of these investments on the local community.
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
Perez’s first stop was the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. During his visit, he discussed the $242 million allocated by the U.S. Department of Transportation for the bridge’s rebuild.
“We’ve committed half of the cost of the replacement of this bridge. It is a ‘when’ question now, not an ‘if’ question,” Perez stated. “That is a good thing because this bridge, if it were a human being, would be approaching Medicare eligibility in the coming years.”
Lakeside Reserve Housing Project
Next, Perez visited the Lakeside Reserve, a housing project offering permanent, affordable housing with supportive services to homeless single adults. He emphasized the importance of such projects in achieving broader goals.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that every day North Carolinians, when they work a full-time job, can feed their families,” Perez explained. “That way, they can have the dignity of healthcare, the dignity of retirement security, and we are going to be traveling the city today to see the fruits of so many of these investments and this partnership.”
Mayor Bill Saffo’s Support
Mayor Bill Saffo attended each site visit and expressed pride in showcasing what federal funds mean to Wilmington.
“And to be able to demonstrate to the federal government and to the federal officials what those dollars mean to us and how it’s impacted this community,” Saffo noted.
Despite political differences, Saffo emphasized the collaborative spirit at the local level.
“And look, we come from different parties and we have different philosophies,” Saffo acknowledged. “But at the local level, and I’ve said this many times, he comes from the local level. He understands that we have to put our differences aside. We take our partisan views, put them on the sidelines, and try to do the best we can for the community we represent.”
