U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown made the case that federal spending could lead to job growth and spur private development during a visit to downtown Kent Jan. 16, pointing to the city's $110 million downtown redevelopment project as an example.

The senator, in town to tour redevelopment efforts and meet with local business and community leaders, said using federal funding for projects like the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority's new downtown parking deck and the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center, was more effective at creating jobs than cutting taxes for individuals in the upper tax brackets.

"You don't grow an economy by tax cuts for the rich trickling down," Brown said. "You grow an economy by focusing on the middle class and growing it out from there. That's what both parties in Congress said two weeks ago, and I think that's pretty established that's the direction we should go in. And part of that, I think, is more stimulus to put people to work, which then will mean fewer tax dollars going out the door."

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