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July 26, 2010
Campaign Staff
The federal government claims Berks has received $245.8 million in stimulus funds. But, using a variety of local, state and federal sources, the Reading Eagle was able to identify only $136.9 million in spending.
And while some of the projects funded by stimulus funds are very much in evidence, the jobs that were supposed to come along with the money are not. In fact, unemployment in Berks rose to 9.9 percent at the end of May, up 1.2 percentage points from May 2009, a few months after the stimulus money became available.
County officials said road and bridge improvements are nice for the community, but what Berks really needs is to get people working.
And while some of the projects funded by stimulus funds are very much in evidence, the jobs that were supposed to come along with the money are not. In fact, unemployment in Berks rose to 9.9 percent at the end of May, up 1.2 percentage points from May 2009, a few months after the stimulus money became available.
County officials said road and bridge improvements are nice for the community, but what Berks really needs is to get people working.
Not much mileage from stimulus funds in Berks
By Mary E. Young
Reading Eagle
A drive on just about any major road in Berks County shows that some of the $787 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money is flowing here.
The federal government claims Berks has received $245.8 million in stimulus funds.
But, using a variety of local, state and federal sources, the Reading Eagle was able to identify only $136.9 million in spending.
And while some of the projects funded by stimulus funds are very much in evidence, the jobs that were supposed to come along with the money are not.
In fact, unemployment in Berks rose to 9.9 percent at the end of May, up 1.2 percentage points from May 2009, a few months after the stimulus money became available.
County officials said road and bridge improvements are nice for the community, but what Berks really needs is to get people working.
"The commitment of the (Obama) administration was that this was going to lower unemployment," county Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach said. "That hasn't happened."
Thomas C. McKeon, executive director of the Berks County Industrial Development Authority, said some businesses have added jobs here and there, but the jobs created for the road projects are likely to be temporary.
"It's not significant," he said. "It's doesn't make a dent in the unemployment rate or the number of jobs we have available for people."
Commissioner Mark C. Scott said he believes the stimulus isn't working because the motivation behind it was political, and the process by which government makes decisions is slow.
A business makes decisions in a few weeks, but government takes much longer because of rules and regulations intended to prevent public corruption, he explained.
"Government spending decisions, in many cases, are political and intuitive as opposed to quantitative and analytical," Scott said. "It's inherently inefficient and tends to be slower.
"It's a suboptimal way of spending scarce resources."
Cutting taxes would have been a better way to put money in the pockets of businesses, Scott said.
Those businesses would return the money to the economy and do it more quickly, he said.
"The turnover of money is slower with government, so the recovery is slower," Scott said.
Some benefits
Still, the stimulus money is doing good things for the community, county Community Development Director Kenneth L. Pick said.
The money is being used to prevent homelessness and for a community re-entry center designed to help prison inmates return to the community, he said.
It's also helping the county pay for improvements that in turn will save taxpayer dollars on energy costs in the long run, Pick said.
A $32.5 million grant to East Penn Manufacturing Co. Inc. in Lyons will have a positive impact on the battery industry and energy conservation, McKeon said.
Alan D. Piper, county transportation planner, said some of the $4.3 million BARTA received will buy four new buses and allow expansion of routes that help people get to their jobs.
Few of these good things - particularly the road and transit projects - would have happened without the stimulus money, Piper said.
"While the road projects may not have increased employment, they kept the people who already had jobs working," he said. "They wouldn't have had those jobs if the funding hadn't been made available.
"None of these projects would have gotten done without the stimulus dollars. The funding wasn't there for them. Every one is a needed project.""The commitment of the (Obama) administration was that this was going to lower unemployment," county Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach said. "That hasn't happened."
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=236963
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May 10, 2010
Joe Pitts
With unemployment now at 9.9 percent, we have to ask, “Where are the jobs?” President Obama promised that if we passed his trillion-dollar stimulus bill, unemployment would never exceed 8 percent. Clearly the stimulus didn’t work. I knew it wouldn’t and I voted against it. But that’s just one reason unemployment continues to go up under the Democrats’ policies. Here are three more.
With unemployment now at 9.9 percent, we have to ask, “Where are the jobs?” President Obama promised that if we passed his trillion-dollar stimulus bill, unemployment would never exceed 8 percent. Clearly the stimulus didn’t work. I knew it wouldn’t and I voted against it. But that’s just one reason unemployment continues to go up under the Democrats’ policies. Here are three more.
Taxes – The Democrats have advocated for dozens of new and increased taxes. Many more taxes, including your income taxes, are scheduled to automatically shoot up in January. If you were an employer and you knew your tax burden was about to go up—but had no idea by how much—would you risk expanding and hiring right now?
Regulation—From Obamacare to Cap and Trade, the Democrats’ have been pushing for huge new burdens on businesses large and small. If you were an employer and you knew the cost of doing business was about to skyrocket, would you risk expanding and hiring right now?
Government debt—The federal government has $107 trillion in spending promises it has no plan to pay for, prompting Moody’s to warn of a downgrade of federal debt securities within the next decade. That’s exactly what started the debt spiral that is embroiling Greece and other European countries right now. Even Britain is realizing how much trouble they are in because of years of liberal spending. Knowing that our massive government debt could lead to an even worse economic crisis within ten years, would you expand your business and hire right now?
The keys to job creation are low and stable taxes, less government, and less spending and debt.
Taxes – The Democrats have advocated for dozens of new and increased taxes. Many more taxes, including your income taxes, are scheduled to automatically shoot up in January. If you were an employer and you knew your tax burden was about to go up—but had no idea by how much—would you risk expanding and hiring right now?
Regulation—From Obamacare to Cap and Trade, the Democrats’ have been pushing for huge new burdens on businesses large and small. If you were an employer and you knew the cost of doing business was about to skyrocket, would you risk expanding and hiring right now?
Government debt—The federal government has $107 trillion in spending promises it has no plan to pay for, prompting Moody’s to warn of a downgrade of federal debt securities within the next decade. That’s exactly what started the debt spiral that is embroiling Greece and other European countries right now. Even Britain is realizing how much trouble they are in because of years of liberal spending. Knowing that our massive government debt could lead to an even worse economic crisis within ten years, would you expand your business and hire right now?
The keys to job creation are low and stable taxes, less government, and less spending and debt.
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February 05, 2010
Campaign Staff
A letter to the editor in the February 2 Intelligencer-Journal/Lancaster New Era falsely claimed that Congressman Pitts voted against an emergency extension of unemployment compensation insurance. The newspaper ran a correction on February 4.
A letter to the editor in the February 2 Intelligencer-Journal/Lancaster New Era falsely claimed that Congressman Pitts voted against an emergency extension of unemployment compensation insurance. The newspaper ran a correction on February 4.
It said:
“CORRECTIONS/ CLARIFICATIONS A letter to the editor in Tuesday's edition stated U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts voted against extending unemployment benefits. Pitts voted against an earlier bill but supported the extension on final passage. The Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era wants to correct substantive errors of fact.”
The truth is, Joe voted against an early version of the bill because it simultaneously raised taxes on job-creators, making it at least marginally harder to actually solve the unemployment problem. The bill then went to the Senate. Joe led a group of ten House members in urging the Senate to pay for the bill using stimulus money instead. While they didn’t take that advice, the Senate did improve the bill by adding other job-creating measures Joe had been calling for, and Joe then voted for the Senate version on final passage. This was the second extension of unemployment compensation benefits Joe voted for.
It said:
“CORRECTIONS/ CLARIFICATIONS A letter to the editor in Tuesday's edition stated U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts voted against extending unemployment benefits. Pitts voted against an earlier bill but supported the extension on final passage. The Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era wants to correct substantive errors of fact.”
The truth is, Joe voted against an early version of the bill because it simultaneously raised taxes on job-creators, making it at least marginally harder to actually solve the unemployment problem. The bill then went to the Senate. Joe led a group of ten House members in urging the Senate to pay for the bill using stimulus money instead. While they didn’t take that advice, the Senate did improve the bill by adding other job-creating measures Joe had been calling for, and Joe then voted for the Senate version on final passage. This was the second extension of unemployment compensation benefits Joe voted for.
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February 01, 2010
Campaign Staff
"At a time when the economy is forcing more people to seek nutritional aid, and fewer people are in a position to help, U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts, R-16, of East Marlborough Township is seeking some answers."
By Chris Barber
At a time when the economy is forcing more people to seek nutritional aid, and fewer people are in a position to help, U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts, R-16, of East Marlborough Township is seeking some answers.
To that end, he is visiting food cupboards in the area to try to determine how they are doing and what he can to do help.
On Tuesday morning, armed with 36 pounds of butter, he and several staff members stopped at the Oxford Area Neighborhood Services building, and talked with case manager Carla Brown. As he hauled the box of butter to the table, he said he had heard that it, along with eggs and milk, are among the greatest needs.
Pitts said he hopes to undertake a survey of stakeholders the food cupboards and find out what their priorities are and if there are certain regional differences in what people consume based on their cultural backgrounds.
He also said he is aiming to modify the Good Samaritan Act, a law that holds blameless someone who is attempting to help but might cause harm in the process. He used as an example enabling food cupboard administrators to place out for consumption canned goods that are past expiration date, but only by a month.
Pitts said food cupboards get some foodstuffs from the federal government and money from the state. He added that Chester County has a large warehouse that acts as a distribution point for federal food.
Another project he spoke of was the Chester County gleaning program through which farmers and gardeners plant extra fresh produce and pass it on to feed those in need.
Brown said the Oxford Neighborhood Services food cupboard gives out food boxes to an average of 66 families a month, or more than 786 a year.
She said that the requests for help have increased dramatically in the past year by almost 40 percent. In the same period of time, fewer people have been able to give, she said.
She added that April, May and June (before the state budget is passed) are the leanest months for the food cupboard. Still, she added, many individuals drop off non-perishable foods that help stock the facility.
For more information on the food cupboard, call 610-932-8557.
At a time when the economy is forcing more people to seek nutritional aid, and fewer people are in a position to help, U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts, R-16, of East Marlborough Township is seeking some answers.
To that end, he is visiting food cupboards in the area to try to determine how they are doing and what he can to do help.
On Tuesday morning, armed with 36 pounds of butter, he and several staff members stopped at the Oxford Area Neighborhood Services building, and talked with case manager Carla Brown. As he hauled the box of butter to the table, he said he had heard that it, along with eggs and milk, are among the greatest needs.
Pitts said he hopes to undertake a survey of stakeholders the food cupboards and find out what their priorities are and if there are certain regional differences in what people consume based on their cultural backgrounds.
He also said he is aiming to modify the Good Samaritan Act, a law that holds blameless someone who is attempting to help but might cause harm in the process. He used as an example enabling food cupboard administrators to place out for consumption canned goods that are past expiration date, but only by a month.
Pitts said food cupboards get some foodstuffs from the federal government and money from the state. He added that Chester County has a large warehouse that acts as a distribution point for federal food.
Another project he spoke of was the Chester County gleaning program through which farmers and gardeners plant extra fresh produce and pass it on to feed those in need.
Brown said the Oxford Neighborhood Services food cupboard gives out food boxes to an average of 66 families a month, or more than 786 a year.
She said that the requests for help have increased dramatically in the past year by almost 40 percent. In the same period of time, fewer people have been able to give, she said.
She added that April, May and June (before the state budget is passed) are the leanest months for the food cupboard. Still, she added, many individuals drop off non-perishable foods that help stock the facility.
For more information on the food cupboard, call 610-932-8557.
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January 30, 2010
Joe Pitts
A year ago, on January 28, 2009, I voted against the Democrats’ “stimulus bill.” I predicted, correctly, that it would be too ineffective to justify the massive price tag. It was supposed to cost $787 billion and keep unemployment from exceeding eight percent. Well, today unemployment is at ten percent and the CBO just announced the stimulus will cost another $75 billion more than advertised.
A year ago, on January 28, 2009, I voted against the Democrats’ “stimulus bill.” I predicted, correctly, that it would be too ineffective to justify the massive price tag. It was supposed to cost $787 billion and keep unemployment from exceeding eight percent. Well, today unemployment is at ten percent and the CBO just announced the stimulus will cost another $75 billion more than advertised.
Not content to just criticize, I issued a memorandum to my constituents on the day Congress passed that bill. I called for tax reduction, increased energy production, and trade promotion as the three things that would genuinely stimulate the economy.
A year later, in Wednesday’s State of the Union Address, the President finally called for these three things in what appears to be a serious way. While I disagree with much of what he called for in his speech, we at last agree on some of the areas we should be focusing our efforts.
It’s a year late. But I’m glad to see the President finally realize that tax cuts are the quickest and surest form of stimulus. I’m glad to see him recognize that we need to expand energy production, not constrict it as his “cap and trade” proposal would do. I’m glad to see him realize that we must open new markets for manufacturers to sell their wares to.
If he had acted on these things a year ago, unemployment might really have stayed under eight percent. It remains to be seen if he will actually act on them even now.
Not content to just criticize, I issued a memorandum to my constituents on the day Congress passed that bill. I called for tax reduction, increased energy production, and trade promotion as the three things that would genuinely stimulate the economy.
A year later, in Wednesday’s State of the Union Address, the President finally called for these three things in what appears to be a serious way. While I disagree with much of what he called for in his speech, we at last agree on some of the areas we should be focusing our efforts.
It’s a year late. But I’m glad to see the President finally realize that tax cuts are the quickest and surest form of stimulus. I’m glad to see him recognize that we need to expand energy production, not constrict it as his “cap and trade” proposal would do. I’m glad to see him realize that we must open new markets for manufacturers to sell their wares to.
If he had acted on these things a year ago, unemployment might really have stayed under eight percent. It remains to be seen if he will actually act on them even now.
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