Despite unfavorable weather conditions, many community members came out to support and welcome President Barack Obama during his visit to Savannah on Tuesday.
Governor Sonny Perdue and Savannah Mayor Otis Jackson were among several of the important political figures who received Obama’s address at the Savannah Technical College.
Obama outlined the main goals of his new plan, which he refers to as Home Star.
The purpose of Home Star is to save energy, create more jobs, and reduce carbon emissions. The plan will also greatly benefit the consumers.
Home Star focuses on homeowners who can immediately receive instant rebates upon retrofitting their homes to save energy. Obama’s plan is to ensure that these consumers receive a rebate for 50 percent of the cost of each upgrade.
“You’d get these rebates instantly from the hardware store or the contractor. So right there when you paid at the cash register, you’d get that money. You wouldn’t have to mail in a long form, wait for a check to arrive months later.”
In addition, this instant rebate will give the incentive for many homeowners to employ small businesses and contractors for projects such as home insulations, renovations and installments. In return, this helps create more jobs in the construction industry, which has reached an unemployment rate of nearly 25 percent.
Obama emphasized that improving in energy conservation and the economy, will have some initial costs. “But by taking these steps, we’ll help foster broadly shared growth that will serve us in the years and the decades to come. That’s how we’ll create the commissions for businesses to expand and hire. That’s how we’ll truly grow our middle class again. That’s how we’ll not only rebuild our economy but we’ll rebuild it stronger than it was before this crisis”.
After the president’s address, several attendees gave positive remarks about President Obama’s plan and his visit to Savannah.
“Anytime we can bring the president from Washington out into our city, we’re doing something right, that’s worth his attention.” Congressman John Barrows said to Tiger Eye News Team. “If we can use existing technology and existing firms and contractors to expand more job opportunities for Savannah Technical College and Savannah State University, it’s a ‘two-fer’.”
President Obama later made stops to Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, Chatham Steele and Meddin Studios. He departed Savannah from the Hunter Army Airfield at 3:21pm that afternoon. Obama’s visit enlightened, not only local politicians, but small business owners, workers, and students.
 "Photo: Janay Kingsberry")
