Unsexy Stimulus Spending
By: Mr. Wilson on
February 20, 2009
Mayor Chris Beutler wants to spend $9.3 million worth of "stimulus" money on roadway repair and street signal replacement. It's not exactly spending that will stimulate the economy, but if you've been following the debate over the Federal "stimulus" package at all, you won't be surprised; there's not nearly as much stimulation activity in the bill as the Feds would have you believe. I digress.
Mayor Beutler makes a valid point when he asserts that roadway repair will take the money farther than new roadway construction. And repairs are needed: Lincoln has seen barely a dollar go toward major street repair since 2004. We do need new construction in parts of the city -- South 56th Street between Pine Lake and Old Cheney comes to mind -- but is it wise to build more roads when we can't maintain what we've got?
Do you concur with Mayor Beutler's assessment? Or should we take the money in a different direction?