In 2019, the South Bend Tribune reported that their city had the ”worst pothole situation in the state." After he tried and failed to fix the problem himself, then-Mayor Pete Buttigieg went to Plan B, accepting grants from Dominos. Yep, Dominos Pizza.
"In 2019, Domino’s Pizza stepped in -- offering South Bend a $5,000 'Paving for Pizza' grant to fill in potholes," Fox News reports. "Customers had been asked to nominate their hometown so carryout pizza could have a smooth delivery home."
From the South Bend Tribune:
The grant, created in 2018, asks customers to nominate their hometown to repair potholes so carryout pizza can have a smooth delivery ride home. Domino's consumer public relations specialist Danielle Bulger said only one grant is given per state. South Bend was named Indiana’s recipient.
“We understand that people are passionate about potholes,” South Bend city engineer Kara Boyles said Monday. “We are always trying to be proactive and trying to fill potholes even on days like today (rainy), but we understand people care a lot about potholes.”
And yet President-elect Joe Biden thought this was the guy to run national transportation. Biden announced this week that he's nominating Buttigieg, his former 2020 Democratic primary opponent, to be his Transportation Secretary.
Pete Buttigieg was such a bad mayor, he asked Domino’s Pizza to fix South Bend’s potholes.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) December 15, 2020
Now, Joe Biden wants to put him in charge of the Department of Transportation.
Under Mayor Pete Buttigieg...
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 16, 2020
"Potholes around South Bend might be worst in recent memory" -- South Bend Tribunehttps://t.co/8FRRFKaMai
Nevertheless, Biden said he picked Buttigieg because the department is at the intersection of "some of our most ambitious plans to build back better."
Innovation in transportation helped build my hometown, and it propels our country.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) December 16, 2020
Now is the time to build back better through modern and sustainable infrastructure that creates millions of good-paying union jobs, revitalizes communities, and empowers all Americans to thrive.
Hm. I can only echo what this young man said.
Buttigieg record fixing potholes and such is not great. https://t.co/5xIl4rNrWo pic.twitter.com/4Z3wTe9clV
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) December 15, 2020