Gov Rendell Calls for Fed. Help for States

PA Governor Ed Rendell used his position as Chairman of the National Governor’s association today to call on congress and the president elect to fund a three-prong recovery package for the states. The first prong would include additional funds for “individual needs” including unemployment compensation and food stamps. The second prong would involve “counter cyclical” economic impact efforts. He says that would include help in the form of additional Medicare benefits and other social program assistance. Rendell says he knows such programs are first and foremost the responsibility of the states but the federal government is able to run a deficit in troubled times while states cannot. The third prong would include spending on infrastructure. Rendell says that would mostly be in the form of road projects but also water and sewer infrastructure, school upgrades and levy repairs. Rendell says many of those projects are ready to go and are waiting for funding. He says the will make an immediate impact and create construction jobs that cannot be outsourced. Rendell would not put a price tag on the package but says the infrastructure prong alone needs to be at least 136 billion dollars. Rendell says a federal focus on renewable energy would also help grow the economy and help keep money in the US.