In early 2009, Kokomo, Indiana, was emblematic of the bleak state of recession-age America. With an economy dependent on the American auto industry, the city’s unemployment rate had risen to 20 percent.
But over a year later, things in Kokomo are looking up. Unemployment is down to 14 percent, and several companies are creating new jobs. While there is much disagreement about the effectiveness of the economic stimulus package, Kokomo residents and politicians are quick to credit it with their city’s recovery.
We speak with Greg Goodnight, Mayor of Kokomo, to discuss the city’s remarkable turnaround.
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