Newsroom brew’s gettin’ me through the Monday.
Working on a story tonight about where in Lancaster County the federal stimulus money is going to flow, specifically about highways, roadways and bridges.
As a heads up, how about PennDOT-monitored cameras along Route 30 or Route 283 to watch traffic conditions?
The construction part of this story is where the Obama administration’s foot is pushing on the accelerator. If the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress’ strategy to pull America out of this deep recession is going to work, highway construction is one of the frontlines. The formula is government spending to create market demand for construction supplies, which will then create jobs and income that those job holders will spend.
Obama during the 2008 campaign promised investment in improving American infrastructure, which sounded ideal because you have construction companies waiting for a frozen building market to thaw and a country in need of improving its roads and bridges.
About $1 billion is coming to Pennsylvania for road and bridge improvement. Do you think it will work to help turn around the state’s stumbling economy?
What bridges and roads in Lancaster will experience improvement as a result of these federal dollars, stay tuned to the Nest and tomorrow’s Intell.
Elsewhere:
You could write that 100 times and still not equal the number of charges on which former state Sen. Vince Fumo was found guilty today in federal court. The four-month trial provided a window into the seedier side of state government. Sentencing is to be scheduled later, and prosecutors are expected to ask for a 10-year jail term for Fumo.
*And speaking of Democrats in state government under a black cloud, state Rep. Bill DeWeese has a new problem with which to wrestle. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Brad Bumstead has a story out about how a Democratic House staffer sent DeWeese, who used to head the Democratic House caucus, an e-mail to thank him for giving a salary bonus … for campaigning.
In December 2004, an e-mail written by legislative research analyst Karen Steiner thanked DeWeese, D-Greene County, and then-House Democratic Whip Mike Veon of Beaver Falls for a “bonus for campaigning.” DeWeese responded with “U R welcome,” copies of the exchange obtained by the Tribune-Review show.
A DeWeese spokesman said the Greene County Democrat, a formidable presence in state government and a divisive figure, has no recollection of the e-mail.
As you may know, Veon has been charged with using taxpayer resources to operate a campaign machine out of his office. DeWeese has always denied involvement with the program.
And this Bonusgate scandal just keeps going on and on and on …
*House Republicans are trying to blow a whistle on Gov. Ed Rendell’s emergency measures from last week to address the sick state economy. Rendell proposed about $31 million in news measures like pumping mortgage relief or home-heating aid into the economy, and the House GOP are questioning his authority to do so under the state Constitution.
From the news release:
Without judging the merits of the governor’s emergency relief proposals, House Republicans are questioning Gov. Ed Rendell’s authority to move state funding to programs other than those for which it was originally appropriated. Rep. Sam Smith (R-Jefferson County), the Republican Leader, and Rep. Mario Civera (R-Delaware County), the Republican Appropriations Committee Chairman, are also asking the governor to submit a new budget proposal that reflects the federal stimulus dollars coming to the state.
The two House Republican leaders sent the governor a letter today detailing their questions about the governor’s expansion of state programs while citing the case of Shapp v. Sloane, 395 A.2d 595 (Pa. 1978) which reinforced the “doctrine of separation of powers functions.” The leaders also cited Article III, Section 24, of the Pennsylvania Constitution (Attachment 1), as well as Act 117 of 1976 (Attachment 2), which reinforce their contention that the General Assembly is responsible for enacting programmatic legislation and appropriating the necessary funds to implement the programs.
