novelnext Chapter 95 The So-Called Shortcut
Chapter 95 The So-Called Shortcut
Chapter 95 The So-Called Shortcut
The next morning, the door to the mayor's office was pushed open.
Gavin Stone strode in.
This sophisticated politician, dressed in a dark gray striped suit, is completely different from Thomas Moretti.
Moretti carried a musty smell of cigars, the kind of greasy smell that was typical of politicians from the old days.
Gavin Stone only smells of cologne and mints.
He's more like a fund manager fresh out of Wall Street, or a corporate hunter looking to acquire a company.
Shrewd, capable, and aggressive.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor."
Stone casually closed the door, shutting out Ethan's disgruntled expression.
He walked straight to the guest chair in front of the desk and sat down, his movements as natural as if he were back in his own home.
"I know you need to make an appointment, but what I brought is too important, and those complicated procedures will only delay our ability to make money."
Leo put down his pen.
He looked at the uninvited guest.
In the city council's photo of the pyramid, Stone is listed first among the opposition.
He was Morganfield's direct agent in the legislature and a watchdog for business interests.
"Congressman Stone."
Leo leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced.
"I didn't think we had anything to talk about, unless you came to inform me that you intend to vote in favor of my budget."
"That's exactly right."
Stone gave a professional smile.
The smile was perfect, revealing pearly white teeth.
"I came here specifically for your budget proposal."
Stone took a document out of his briefcase, slid it across the table, and stopped in front of Leo.
"This is a draft resolution that the Budget and Finance Committee just prepared." Stone's voice was devoid of emotion. "Speaker Moretti asked me to bring it over first and ask for your opinion, to see if there is any possibility of reaching a consensus between us."
Leo's gaze lingered on the cover for only a second.
"A five million dollar emergency repair fund." Leo looked up at Stone with a half-smile. "Is this the Speaker's sincerity? Senator Stone, what do you think? Do you think this amount is enough?"
Stone looked at Leo, then slowly shook his head, his face full of disdain.
"Five million?" Stone scoffed. "That's money for beggars."
"That's an insult to you, the mayor with 72 percent of the vote. To be honest, it's a waste of my time for him to send me here with something like this."
"I strongly disagree with his approach."
"Mr. Douglas Morganfield also disagrees."
Stone mentioned that name.
The air in the room instantly became thick and sticky.
"So, Mr. Morganfield sent you here to write me an even bigger check?"
"You can understand it that way."
Stone leaned forward and lowered his voice.
"We all know that although Moretti is the speaker, he can't control everyone. He only has a few inexperienced centrists under his control."
"And I, besides my own vote, can also influence the other two votes."
Stone held up two fingers.
"If you get my support, plus your two sure votes, you'll have five votes."
"You can pass any bill you want without even Moretti's approval."
"You can bypass the old doorman and get the key to the vault directly."
This is a huge temptation.
They directly dismantled Moretti's blockade and seized control of the city council.
This is the situation Leo has always dreamed of.
"What's the price?" Leo asked.
There's no such thing as a free lunch, especially at Pittsburgh City Hall.
"It's very simple."
"All we need is for you to adjust your work schedule."
"We hope you will elevate the inland port expansion plan to the top priority of this city government."
"Immediately initiate the bidding process for the port automation system and complete the contract signing within the next month."
"If you agree to this, my allies and I will immediately switch sides in the city council and fully support you."
Leo looked at Stone.
His brain was working at lightning speed.
The expansion of the inland port was indeed the basis for his deal with Morganfield.
He promised to push this project forward.
"I promised Mr. Morganfield that I would push forward with the port project," Leo said. "But it will take time. We need to conduct environmental assessments, negotiate with unions, and wait for matching federal funding."
"Those are all excuses, Leo."
Stone interrupted him.
"If you're willing to do it, we'll expedite the process and shorten the procedures. As for funding, Morganfield Group can advance the initial payments or assist in issuing municipal bonds."
"We can't wait that long."
"The market is constantly changing, and the window of opportunity for logistics benefits is limited. Mr. Morganfield hopes to see excavators driving into the dock next week."
Greed gleamed in Stone's eyes.
"Think about it, this is a win-win situation."
"You want political achievements? A multi-hundred-million-dollar project, that's a huge achievement! You'll become the greatest builder in Pittsburgh's history."
"Mr. Morganfield wants the port, he wants the profits."
"As for your so-called second phase of the revitalization plan..."
Stone waved.
"Those welfare projects that build houses and childcare centers for the poor can be put on hold."
"Once the port is built and we've made some money, we can do it next year."
"Let's stop filling those bottomless pits. Let's make this feast big enough so that even the scraps that slip through our fingers will be enough to make those outsiders grateful."
Roosevelt's voice echoed in Leo's mind.
"He's lying, Leo."
"This is not a win-win situation at all; it's the strangulation of your political life."
"Just think about it, what will happen once you agree to put the port project on the top agenda?"
"A project worth hundreds of millions of dollars, even just the initial funding, can instantly drain Pittsburgh's fragile fiscal reserves."
"If bonds are issued, the city's debt ratio will immediately reach the red line. Once the debt ratio exceeds the limit, the municipal government will be prohibited from making any new non-profit expenditures."
"This means that your second phase of the revitalization plan" will completely lose its funding.
"Not just this year, but next year and the year after, as long as the port project is still burning through money, you can forget about getting a single penny from the Finance Bureau to build schools or cooperatives."
"Your administrative energy will be consumed by endless bidding meetings, project coordination meetings, and environmental impact assessment hearings."
"You will become a senior project manager at Morganfield."
"And what will the workers who elected you, the poor people who are waiting for you to fulfill your promises, see?"
"They will see that the first thing their elected mayor does upon taking office is to use taxpayers' money to help big capitalists build ports and introduce automated machines that will take away their jobs."
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"As for the benefits promised to them? We'll talk about that next year."
"Don't forget, feasts are never prepared for the cook. After they've eaten and drunk their fill, they won't thank the person who cooked it; they'll only complain about the oil-smelling guy who dirtied their expensive carpet."
"If you agree, you will be betraying your promise."
"You've really become a dog that Morganfield keeps."
Leo looked at Stone's shrewd face.
He felt disgusted.
This disgust is not directed at Stone personally, but at this sense of entitlement and arrogance.
In the eyes of these people, the right to survival of the poor can always be postponed or sacrificed.
It is perfectly justifiable to sacrifice the interests of a portion of the population for the sake of so-called "economic growth" and the "overall situation."
But they never sacrifice their own interests.
Leo sat up straight.
His hand left the document, and he pushed it back in front of Stone.
The movement was subtle, but the message of rejection was strong.
"Congressman Stone."
Leo's voice was calm and firm.
"Please pass on this message to Mr. Morganfield."
"I will push forward with the port project. This is my promise, and I will not break it."
"but."
"Not now."
"It should not be the top priority."
Stone's smile vanished.
"Mr. Mayor, you may not have understood what I mean, but this is your only chance to turn the tide in the council—"
"I understand," Leo interrupted him, "but I have my principles."
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"Eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time."
"My constituents, the workers and residents in the South, the Hills, and Brooklyn, are hungry right now."
"They need jobs, they need safe communities, they need a glimmer of hope."
"I must fill their bowls first."
"Only when they are well-fed, strong, and have dignity can they carry heavier bricks and build that magnificent port."
Leo stared into Stone's eyes.
"This order cannot be changed."
"This is also a kind of economics, Congressman Stone. Infrastructure without a foundation of people's livelihood is just a castle in the air."
"I will not jeopardize the future of this city for the sake of Mr. Morganfield's profit statement, nor will I jeopardize the trust of the citizens in me."
"The second phase of the revitalization plan must be the top priority this year. There is no room for discussion on this point."
The room fell silent.
Stone looked at Leo with disbelief in his eyes.
He doesn't understand.
Why would anyone refuse such a good deal?
Is it not the most rational choice to exchange a vague prospect of next year for real power today and for the friendship of Morganfield?
This young mayor is an incomprehensible madman.
Or perhaps he was a saint blinded by that foolish sense of morality.
In Stone's eyes, either of them were hopeless idiots.
Stone slowly put the documents back into his briefcase.
His movements were slow and carried a threatening undertone.
"Pity."
Stone stood up and straightened the hem of his suit jacket.
He looked down at Leo, his eyes turning icy cold.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Wallace."
"You missed a chance to become a great mayor."
"Mr. Morganfield is an impatient man; he doesn't like waiting, and he dislikes anyone disrupting his rhythm."
"He gave you a chance because he still had some use to him."
"But if you insist on refusing to listen to reason and then having to suffer the consequences—"
Stone walked to the door, put his hand on the doorknob, and stopped.
He didn't turn around, but his voice came through clearly.
"If you're not willing to light the fire yourself and heat up this machine."
"Then, Mr. Morganfield, I may have to personally step in and add fuel to the fire for you."
"At that time, no one can guarantee whether the fire will get out of control or whether it will burn you."
The door was opened and then slammed shut.
Gavin Stone is gone.
Leo sat in the chair, looking at the closed door.
He knew that rejecting Stone meant that his path forward was completely blocked.
"Are you scared, child?"
Roosevelt asked.
"I'm not afraid."
"Leo answered."
"Because I know I'm right."
"If I agree to him today, I'm truly doomed."
"Very well." Roosevelt laughed. "Since they don't want us to properly repair the road, then we'll just blow it up."
.
"Stone thought he represented power."
But he forgot one thing.
"True power is never found in those fancy conference rooms."
"True power lies in the streets."
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