video transcript

Mayor Stephane Gatignon is on day four of a hunger strike in hopes of convincing France's cash-strapped government for emergency funds to save his impoverished town. The mayor, who made camp outside parliament in Paris last week, said his community just outside of the capital needs 6.4 million US dollars by Tuesday to cover municipal bills. He added that the euro zone crisis has hit small towns and villages like his particularly hard, leaving communities unable to borrow cash for urban projects. Gatignon also believes the French government should grant aid to its 100 poorest communities, where unemployment is often higher than the national average. Officials are voting whether to increase local funding packages on Tuesday, but have not responded directly to the mayor's hunger strike. But things could get worse before they get better for French residents. France's new socialist government plans to lower its public sector-deficit by slashing spending by 10 billion euros and raising another 20 billion euros in taxes next year.