Republican Gov. Haley Barbour’s office is examining how the newly signed economic stimulus package would benefit Mississippi, including the White House’s estimate that it will create or save about 30,000 jobs in the state.
A spokesman said Tuesday the governor’s staff needed to discuss the package, including job estimates, before commenting.
President Barack Obama signed into law the $787 billion legislation, a mix of tax cuts and spending programs. Preliminary figures from the Federal Funds Information for States showed Mississippi is in line to receive nearly $2.3 billion.
About $415 million would be for infrastructure improvements, and the jobs created or saved were expected to be spread over each of the state’s four congressional districts, according to a state-by-state breakdown released by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, a member of the state House Appropriations Committee, said the stimulus package will be “a tremendous help” to Mississippi, which has seen state agencies budgets cut twice in less than a year.
Magnolia Tribune
