The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Editorial, 12/22/8
The federal government is about to unveil the biggest economic stimulus plan since the Great Depression.
This isn’t about the money already allocated to rescue financial institutions and soon to be in the pipeline for U.S. automakers. It’s about expenditures in the range of $700 billion to $1 trillion – with a “t” – for infrastructure projects that Congress will likely have on Barack Obama’s desk the day he becomes president.
Economists from across the spectrum believe the injection of cash to build roads, bridges, schools and other public buildings and projects is necessary to jump-start the economy, help businesses and create jobs in these perilous times. There’s the added benefit of repairing and restoring the national infrastructure, much of which has been neglected for years.
Political agreement on the need for the stimulus is also bipartisan and broad-based, ensuring its passage in some form in Congress.
Congressman Travis Childers last week called together representatives of local governments and other public entities in north Mississippi for a primer on how to apply for the available funds. The message was clear that the best prepared entities are the most likely recipients, and the most likely projects to be approved are those that are ready to go with the letting of bids.
Magnolia Tribune
