KXXV-TV News Channel 25 - Central Texas News and Weather for Waco, Temple, Killeen | Group tries to rally support for Obama budget

Group tries to rally support for Obama budget

by Jennifer Garcia

WACO - Central Texans joined together Wednesday to show their support for President Obama's proposed budget plan. With Obama's budget plan close to being voted on by Congress, the reaction from some local residents was nothing short of a quick signature.

Lashawn Brown with Organizing for Waco said she has spent countless hours walking door to door in dozens of Waco neighborhoods. And for last 11 days she, along with other supporters, have been looking for Central Texans to sign a petition in support of President Obama's economic budget plan.

Kelly McDonald is one supporter who said, "if they choose to support, we're collecting their signatures and the signatures are going to Chet Edward's D.C. office to encourage him to support Obama's economic plan."

Organizers say finding supporters around Waco isn't hard to come by, but said education is key in letting people know more about the proposed plan.

"We found a lot of people who didn't have a lot of information and so it gave us an opportunity to educate them," said Brown.

And it seems to be working.

"When they got a little more information they we're able to say yes we definitely whole-hearted support it," Brown said.

With in the last week alone more than 600 Central Texans have signed the petition.

Bettie Willis is one supporter who just added her name to the list, "A lot of people need to know what's happening and what's going to happen and a lot of people are not up to date on what is going on."

And the goal, to give every resident a voice.

"We're going out letting people know that their voice does matter and giving them a choice to express it," LaShawn said.  

At the end of the day around 75 residents signed in support of the plan.

A Republican representative from the Waco Tea Party sent out a statement that said Congress and the President should allow Americans to keep more of the money they earn to be able to save and invest for the future.