"That’s also the most dangerous option," Leo countered. "Ethan, like I just said, we don’t have the people right now. Those old bureaucrats might be lazy and greedy, but the entire city hall depends on them to function."

"If we come in swinging, start a massive purge, and launch a full-scale audit, this building will grind to a halt by tomorrow."

Leo also drew a circle next to "Municipal Transparency Reform."

"We definitely have to do this, but we need to boil the frog slowly. Let Sarah’s audit department start from the periphery, pick a few key targets to make an example of them. We can’t declare all-out war from the get-go."

After ruling out two options, only one remained.

Pittsburgh Revitalization Plan, Phase II.

"This is it." Leo’s finger tapped hard on the whiteboard.

"We achieved immense success with Phase I in the South District. That was the cornerstone of our election victory."

"For Phase II, we need to replicate that success in the other districts."

Leo picked up a pen and wrote a few specific locations and projects on the whiteboard.

"We’re carrying debt, Ethan. Political debt."

Leo pointed to the words on the whiteboard, his voice steady and measured.

"The public school in the Hill District must be completely renovated."

"The commercial street in the Brooklyn District must also be fully redeveloped. That was my promise to the Latino community to break down racial divides."

Leo paused, then wrote a new phrase next to it: Workers’ Cooperative.

"And don’t forget my promise to Senator Sanders. That is the core of our reforms."

"We need to use this funding to establish a workers’ cooperative, owned and managed by the unemployed steelworkers themselves. In the future, small municipal projects in Pittsburgh will be prioritized for this cooperative."

"We need to ensure the profits from these projects flow directly back into the workers’ pockets, instead of being siphoned off layer by layer by construction oligarchs and their political proxies, like in the past."

Leo put down the pen and looked at the blueprint on the whiteboard.

"The school, the commercial street, the cooperative. Each of these tasks is a tough nut to crack, and every single one of them threatens the interests of the old guard."

Ethan looked at the radical plan, his brow furrowing even deeper.

"Leo, it’s a great plan. It could genuinely change the fundamental logic of distribution in this city. But there’s one core problem."

"Money."

Ethan pulled out a financial statement from somewhere.

"The fiscal situation Carter Wright left us is a disaster. The deficit is sky-high, and debts are coming due. The city’s accounts barely have enough to cover daily operations, let alone fund a Phase II project of this scale."

He put down the report, a relaxed expression on his face, as if he’d already figured out a solution.

"However, it’s not a dead end."

Ethan took out his phone and waved it.

"We have Senator Sanders. We have friends in Washington. Since Phase I was funded by a special Federation fund, we can just pull the same move for Phase II."

"I can immediately draft a new application, under the name of a ’Post-Industrial City Social Service Transformation Pilot Program,’ to request a special grant from the Federation’s Department of Health and Human Services, or the Department of Labor."

"With Sanders putting in a good word for us, and with your current political status as the ’poster child of the Rust Belt,’ the money will be approved faster and in a larger amount than last time."

Ethan seemed full of confidence.

"This is the fastest and safest method."

Leo listened to Ethan’s suggestion.

It was indeed a tempting proposal.

A few phone calls, a few forms filled out, and tens of millions of US Dollars would flow from Washington to Pittsburgh.

He wouldn’t have to beg anyone, face those difficult old-timers on the city council, or even use a single cent of Pittsburgh’s own tax revenue.

It was practically a free lunch.

Leo thought it was a good idea too. Just as he was about to nod, Roosevelt’s voice rang out. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"No."

"Turn him down, Leo."

Roosevelt’s voice was exceptionally stern, leaving no room for negotiation.

’Why?’ Leo asked in his mind, confused. ’Isn’t this what we did during the campaign? Using Federation money for Pittsburgh’s affairs—what’s wrong with that?’

"Use your head, kid," Roosevelt didn’t answer directly, but asked back, "What do you think is your scarcest resource right now? Is it money?"

Leo frowned and thought for a moment.

"Time," Leo answered tentatively. "The Federation’s funding process is too slow. From submitting the application and going through inter-departmental reviews to the funds finally arriving, it could take half a year or even longer."

"And right now, I only have a hundred days. If we wait for the money to arrive, the citizens’ political enthusiasm will have long cooled down. They’ll think I’m moving too slowly."

"That’s a reason, but it’s only a tactical one," Roosevelt commented. "As long as Sanders is willing to apply pressure, the process can be expedited. That’s not the core reason. Think again."

Leo looked out the window at the city hall plaza, the place where he had just been sworn in.

"Is it... restrictions?" Leo continued to speculate. "If we take the Federation’s money, we’ll be bound by their red tape. The workers’ cooperative we want to create might be shut down for not complying with some rigid Federation regulation."