Dear Friends,
Another week has passed in Boise and it is clear to me that the entire tone and feel of this legislative session is set to change due to the looming implications of the federal stimulus.
Citizens by now may have seen what will surely become the famous images of the 1,100 page Congressional bill which President Obama has now signed into law. It sits about nine inches tall.
It is a misconception that this 1,100 page document includes the rules governing how this money is spent; the strings attached. In fact, nowhere in the pages does it include any of the strings. These simply have not yet been written. This is troubling.
It is hard to find anybody in the Legislature who feels the concept of the stimulus is a good idea. Common sense tells you that you can't solve a debt crisis by borrowing more money. Common sense also tells us it probably isn't a good idea to borrow what will be, once interest is added, over $1 trillion, from the Chinese.
Mortgaging the futures of our children and grandchildren is difficult to accept, but since the stimulus money is coming the Governor and the Legislature has stepped up and is working overtime deciphering its content.
Our mission is clear: we must use this one time money in a way that brings long term benefits to all Idahoans. Clearly, we want the education of our children to continue without interruption. Equally, we need to ensure that the money Washington has earmarked for Medicaid reaches its intended, most needy recipients.
What we do not want to do is use federal money that creates or expands programs we do not want or do not need in Idaho. We will not spend money just for the sake of spending money; this would be irresponsible. We do not want to dig an even deeper hole for ourselves to climb out of once this crisis is over. We must be strategic.
We will look to use money to fix our most desperately underfunded roads and bridges-this will almost certainly be an opportunity to use one time money to not only create jobs but that will create benefits to our state that could last a generation or more. I believe that all of the stimulus money should be considered with these principles in mind. We must use this one time enormous injection of cash to not just plug holes but build futures.
Please email me your comments and I hope to see you tomorrow morning for my Town Hall Meeting at Hayden City Hall at 9AM!
Mike Jorgenson
mnjorgen@senate.idaho.gov
Please visit my website for further information:
Please forward this email to your neighbors and friends in our area so that they too can take part in our democratic process.
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