State of the Stimulus in Augusta

City/County Administrator Fred Russell sat in on a conference call Friday with our U.S. Representative John Barrow and others, including our Georgia Representative Hardie Davis, to get an overview of the stimulus bill. Mr. Russell recounts that 35% of the bill is tax cuts, including things like rebate checks for those making under $75,000, increased child and college tax credits, and accelerated depreciation for small businesses. Congressman Barrow discussed the "smart" energy grid, broadband expansion, and health care information technology. Of particular interest was direct aid to states, meant to save core services that state budgets such as Georgia's are threatening to cut. Georgia would receive $2.3 billion (other sources list $1.2 billion) to keep us at the 2008 funding level for education, $87 billion nationally for Medicare (he may have meant Medicaid- Georgia would receive $1.7 billion), and a billion for maintenance of Georgia's bridges and roads. When asked about what action the city is taking to ensure our share of funds, he says that the unfunded SPLOST list was sent to the Department of Transportation. Also our sewer people have sent a list to the water people. Are there any other lists ready to go to other agencies? Mr. Russell says we don't know yet; the bill hasn't been passed and signed and we don't know the rules.
Here are nice links to see what's in the compromised stimulus bill the House passed Friday (with only three yes votes from the Republicans who had such influence)- one for spending and one for taxes .