Q&A: What Would Make You Push For a Second Stimulus?
States are set to receive funds over the next several years under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. With money starting to reach stimulus projects, Stateline.org asked state legislators meeting for the National Conference of State Legislatures' Legislative Summit in Philadelphia what it would take for them to push for another stimulus program for their state.
What development in your state would
lead you to push for a second stimulus package?
If it's going to be another stimulus, it needs to come directly to the states for infrastructure- schools, roads, parks, libraries.... I do think the stimulus is working. I think it's turning around slowly.
-Massachusetts state Rep. Kathi Anne Reinstein (D)
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Michigan state Sen. Mark C. Jansen (R) |
-Michigan state Sen. Mark C. Jansen (R )
You're asking me a difficult question. The first stimulus didn't do what its intention was. It didn't create jobs with disposable income. If we would push a second stimulus, we would need to see that it could achieve what the first one didn't.
New Hampshire state Rep.
Patrick Long (D)
-New Hampshire state Rep. Patrick Long (D)
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Illinois state Sen. Pamela Althoff (R) |
-Illinois state Sen. Pamela Althoff (R)
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Illinois state Sen. Donne Trotter (D) |
-Illinois state Sen. Donne Trotter (D)
I think the states could always use more money but considering our children and grandchildren will pay for this, I'm up in the air about a second stimulus. If it's done the same way, it has to trickle down more to states.
-Mississippi state Rep. Steve Holland (D)
No. I'm concerned about the cost of it and how we will pay for it. We spent money we didn't have. I'm not saying we didn't make good use of it.
Yes. The first stimulus did not have enough money for shovel ready infrastructure projects.
-Arkansas state Rep. Richard Carroll (D)
Hell no. The first stimulus hasn't worked and isn't going to work. Normally we'd have come out a recession by now.
Charles Anderson (R)
-Texas state Rep. Charles Anderson (R)
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Illinois state Rep. Bob Flider (D) |
-Illinois state Rep. Bob Flider (D)
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Hawaii state Sen. Les Ihara (D) |
-Hawaii state Sen. Les Ihara (D)
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Michigan state Sen. Bill Hardiman (R) |
-Michigan state Sen. Bill Hardiman (R)
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Alaska state Rep. Scott Kawasaki (D) |
-Alaska state Rep. Scott Kawasaki (D)
Original Stateline Story