Let's not pay anyone and raise taxes

[larrymeyer]

Stimulus road signs in Pennsylvania cost $60,000


July 17, 2009
-- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is spending $60,000 of its stimulus money on $2,000 road signs to highlight projects funded by the massive economic recovery package.

The large green signs mark about 30 of what PennDOT calls ''higher visibility projects'' statewide. Each denotes the project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and features the act's logo.

Nationwide, several million dollars are being spent producing the signs.

PennDOT spokesman Steve Chizmar said Pennsylvania elected to take a ''middle-of-the-road'' approach to the federal government's strong encouragement that the signs be put at every project site around the state, choosing only those that were most visible to the public. The stimulus package is pumping $1 billion into the state for hundreds of road and bridge repairs.


PennDOT's not alone in touting the stimulus package. The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority requires all contractors to post the act's logo on construction sites. ''The logo must be at least six inches in diameter and displayed in a prominent place,'' reads a line in the agency's Recovery Act requirements.

The state also is paying political strategist and media consultant Ken Snyder $9,090 a month to help with publicity relating to the stimulus package.

''Obviously it is important to educate the public about where the recovery dollars are working in the commonwealth,'' PennDOT's Chizmar said. ''The public deserves and has a right to know.''

That hasn't quelled criticism from some who see the signs as a waste of money.

Tabitha Vavrick, 42, a hair stylist at Plaza Barber Shop in Quakertown, was never a fan of the $787 billion stimulus package. This, she said, adds to her fury.

''I think it's just atrocious,'' she said Thursday. ''The roads are terrible. We've got bridges falling down. There are other things that money could be going to.''

[Chuck1981]

Stimulus road signs in Pennsylvania cost $60,000


July 17, 2009
-- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is spending $60,000 of its stimulus money on $2,000 road signs to highlight projects funded by the massive economic recovery package.

The large green signs mark about 30 of what PennDOT calls ''higher visibility projects'' statewide. Each denotes the project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and features the act's logo.

Nationwide, several million dollars are being spent producing the signs.

PennDOT spokesman Steve Chizmar said Pennsylvania elected to take a ''middle-of-the-road'' approach to the federal government's strong encouragement that the signs be put at every project site around the state, choosing only those that were most visible to the public. The stimulus package is pumping $1 billion into the state for hundreds of road and bridge repairs.


PennDOT's not alone in touting the stimulus package. The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority requires all contractors to post the act's logo on construction sites. ''The logo must be at least six inches in diameter and displayed in a prominent place,'' reads a line in the agency's Recovery Act requirements.

The state also is paying political strategist and media consultant Ken Snyder $9,090 a month to help with publicity relating to the stimulus package.

''Obviously it is important to educate the public about where the recovery dollars are working in the commonwealth,'' PennDOT's Chizmar said. ''The public deserves and has a right to know.''

That hasn't quelled criticism from some who see the signs as a waste of money.

Tabitha Vavrick, 42, a hair stylist at Plaza Barber Shop in Quakertown, was never a fan of the $787 billion stimulus package. This, she said, adds to her fury.

''I think it's just atrocious,'' she said Thursday. ''The roads are terrible. We've got bridges falling down. There are other things that money could be going to.''

Hey, any fuckin idiot that sees work being done by any entity doing work for the state knows its coming through taxes sooner or later.

Do I have to write Barry and his cohorts in DC a thank you note every time i see something being done? Give me a break, not like I had a choice on April 15th to pay or even decide where my money goes, I am not thanking or even acknowledging any of their crap.

[Brick]

Here's a cite for a listing of the "shovel ready stimulus projects" in PA.

http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_state/PA

Please note how many are in Forest, Elk, Tioga, Susquehanna, Bradford, Potter and other rural counties.

[WhiteFeather]

Why don't they make up a more acurate sign to reflect their true feeling.

This is your money we are wasting, shut up and enjoy it. because you got to work for several months for FREE to cover the cost, we don't care what you say about it, WE can spend it anyway we want after all its for your own good.

Why should you complain, we don't listen anyway. After we let you keep some of your money at least this year, next year we will cut your pay when we raise your taxes again. So get use to having less money to spend, its for our greater good of course.

PS: don't worry be happy, at the rate we are spending your money its not going to be worth anything anyway more than playing a monopoly game with it, very soon.

think I am out of line read it for yourself

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/conten...x?RsrcID=51162

vice president Joe Biden: ‘We Have to Go Spend Money to Keep From Going Bankrupt’

CNSNews.com) – Vice President Joe Biden told people attending an AARP town hall meeting that unless the Democrat-supported health care plan becomes law the nation will go bankrupt and that the only way to avoid that fate is for the government to spend more money.

“And folks look, AARP knows and the people with me here today know, the president knows, and I know, that the status quo is simply not acceptable,” Biden said at the event on Thursday in Alexandria, Va. “It’s totally unacceptable. And it’s completely unsustainable. Even if we wanted to keep it the way we have it now. It can’t do it financially.”

“We’re going to go bankrupt as a nation,” Biden said.

“Now, people when I say that look at me and say, ‘What are you talking about, Joe? You’re telling me we have to go spend money to keep from going bankrupt?’” Biden said. “The answer is yes, that's what I’m telling you.” (Listen to Audio)

The event, sponsored by the AARP – which supports the Obama administration’s plan – was attended by mostly AARP members who were bussed in for the meeting.

Biden told the group that the Obama health plan will not eliminate people’s ability to choose their health care insurance and that people who cannot afford insurance will be covered by the plan.

“They’ll be a deal in there so there’s competition, so what you’ll have in there is you’ll have the ability to go in there and say, ‘Now look, this is the policy I want. This is the one,” Biden said.

“And those people who can’t afford to get in there, up to a certain income, we’re going to subsidize them, you get in there and we’ll help you pay for it,” Biden said.

After opening remarks by Biden and AARP CEO A. Barry Rand, the audience asked questions, which were fielded by Biden, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Nancy Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform.

[larrymeyer]

Here's a cite for a listing of the "shovel ready stimulus projects" in PA.

http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_state/PA

Please note how many are in Forest, Elk, Tioga, Susquehanna, Bradford, Potter and other rural counties.

Col. I know my eyes are going not the old eagle eye I use to be. I miss more now then ever. But I didn't see a single project for any of the rural counties. I must have missed them I'll look again but then again with projects like this

Bethlehem, PA

Firearms Range Development
$1,224,110.00 - 25 jobs - Public Safety Program


Is this project critical? or

56% voted critical

And a 56% vote saying it's critical that build it its just a FUBAR

[Brick]

Col. I know my eyes are going not the old eagle eye I use to be. I miss more now then ever. But I didn't see a single project for any of the rural counties. I must have missed them I'll look again but then again with projects like this

Bethlehem, PA

Firearms Range Development
$1,224,110.00 - 25 jobs - Public Safety Program


Is this project critical? or

56% voted critical

And a 56% vote saying it's critical that build it its just a FUBAR

Don't worry Top Soldier, your eyes are OK. It's just that there are no projects for the rural areas. Also that range project is probably a "police only" range.

[autotech6506]

"...we have to spend money to keep from going bankrupt..."how could that possibly make any less sense!?!?!? where is the common sense

[Kodiak]

Don't worry Top Soldier, your eyes are OK. It's just that there are no projects for the rural areas. Also that range project is probably a "police only" range.

No offense but thats because nobody lives there...thats why its "rural".

Do I think that money should be spent statewide?

Of course I do....but we all know thats not going to happen.

[Stooperzero]

How did all this happen in the first place???


IMHO all this has been pre-planned.

[7998]

Well atleast we're getting something for our money. I'd rather spend the money on infrastructure than spend it on the other 90% of B.S the stimulus is going to. Atleast it creates real jobs.
And yes the $60k spent on the signs patting themselves on the back is a waste.