Former Vice-Chair of Federal Reserve Recommends to Stay the Stimulus Course

Alan S. Blinder, writing in the Washington Post, recommends staying the stimulus course:

"Apparently not bothered by facts, some congressional Republicans are already claiming that President Obama's $787 billion stimulus package has failed and are even advocating that some of the remaining scheduled steps in the legislation be canceled.

In medicine, that would be malpractice. In politics, it's demagoguery. In reality, we need to stay the course."

Read the whole article....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 10:56 AM - Categories: Stimulus

New from Brookings: Have the Stimulus Programs Failed?

Gary Burtless, Senior Fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, examines: Have the Stimulus Programs Failed?

"Before the recession began, American households saved very little. The personal saving rate was just 1.5% in late 2007. As the recession worsened, the saving rate soared. In the most recent quarter, it reached 5.2%. Critics of the government’s stimulus policies claim the surge in personal saving has undone the intended effects of the stimulus. In their view, the government’s efforts to boost the economy have failed. Is this claim credible?"

Read more....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 11:25 AM - Categories: Stimulus

Governor Kaine Highlights Funding for Weatherization Assistance Programs

KING GEORGE – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today highlighted the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development's (DHCD) Weatherization Assistance Program, which has allocated $37 million in weatherization funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

"Virginia's weatherization providers have maintained lengthy waiting lists for the weatherization program for some time," said Bill Shelton, Director of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. "With this increase in funding, as well as changes in the eligibility criteria, we expect to be able to provide weatherization services for many income-eligible Virginians who will benefit from lowered utility costs and a greater quality of life."

Read the press release from the Governor's office....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 10:07 AM - Categories: Press Releases | Stimulus

Governor Announces $500,000 in Economic Development Grant Funding From ARRA

FREDERICKSBURG - Governor Timothy M. Kaine announced today that the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) awarded $500,000 in federal funding to 12 Employment Services Organizations (ESOs) with projects designed to increase employment for Virginians with disabilities.

Read more about funding to increase employment for Virginians with disabilities....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 9:59 AM - Categories: Stimulus

ARRA funding for Infrastructure Projects

Governor Kaine Announces $1 Billion Milestone in ARRA Funding Allocated for Infrastructure Projects

RICHMOND-Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that more than $1 billion in American Restoration and Recovery Act funding has been allocated for infrastructure projects in Virginia. The infrastructure projects, and jobs created, would not have been possible without the stimulus money provided by the federal government.

Read the press release from the Governor's office....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 1:29 PM - Categories: Stimulus

Senator Warner Hosting Energy Summit at Hampton University

Virginia Summit on Energy Opportunities

Senator Mark Warner is hosting an energy summit that will focus on how Virginians can maximize opportunities available through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for low-income families, state and local governments, and industry.

• Date: July 10, 2009
• Location: Hampton University, Hampton VA 23668
  

RSVP by July 2, 2009

Read more and RSVP....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 10:25 AM - Categories: Press Releases | Stimulus

ARRA Products and a Podcast from IRS.gov

E-products are now available on irs.gov for you to promote 5 provisions of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). Those provisions are as follows:

• Education Credit
• Energy Credit
• Making Work Pay
• Homebuyers Credit
• Purchasing a new vehicle credit

These products are currently only available electronically, however an order for printed copies should be available shortly.

The flyers and posters are in PDF format and can be printed for use. However we do recommend not saving the PDF file of the posters and including it in an email as an attachment, because it is too large and will clog up your system. So when sharing with your partners, providing them with the link is a better option.

Learn more and download flyers and posters....

Listen to the pod casts....

Posted by VACAP Archives at 3:20 PM - Categories: Press Releases | Stimulus