For the second time this year, Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs has made the trip to Washington D.C. in an effort to get a piece of the economic pie for our community.

Flaggs called the meeting with President Trump and his administration productive.

“Considering the place seating, I think it went extremely well. I sat between the president of the United States and Secretary of Transportation; that can’t be bad,” Flaggs said.

“I talked about small cities being able to improve their water quality and wastewater treatment, and how they would be able to afford it. When (Trump) starts talking about $200 billion for local infrastructure, you can get no better than that.”

The Trump administration has outlined a $1.5 trillion infrastructure program using $200 billion in federal funds with state and local governments providing matching funds on at least a four-to-one ratio.

The administration said existing funding sources such as sales taxes already levied highway projects may count toward a local match.

Flaggs brought with him to the meeting three priority projects for Warren County:

• Multimodal Port of Vicksburg: $125 million.

The plan calls for developing a new Port of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River to take advantage of Vicksburg’s location on the river and its access to Interstate 20, U.S. 61, the Vicksburg Airport and CSX Railroad. This would be a “game changer” as Flaggs put it, for economic development.

• Environmental Infrastructure: $50 million.

Flaggs is asking the administration to help fund projects like waterlines and wastewater treatment plants.

• Hennessey Bayou Watershed Restoration: $20 million.

The bayou during the 2011 spring Mississippi River flood began trying to cut a new channel to the Mississippi, causing erosion problems and forcing the closure of the Kemp Bottom Road bridge that goes to Baxter Wilson and threatening the plant property.

All three of these projects could be vital to our economic future and we applaud Flaggs for his dedication and commitment in securing a seat at the economic development table in D.C. and fight for the economic future of our community.