NORTH PORT — Pending federal budget cuts made North Port Mayor Linda Yates approach the time she had with legislators during a recent trip to Washing-
ton, D.C., differently, as municipalities around the country will be forced to deal with fewer dollars coming into their communities once the “sequestration” takes place.

Knowing this, Yates said the time she had with people like Sen. Bill Nelson and his staff became even more important, and she did her best to paint North Port’s needs as being both crucial and timely.