Here's a great synthesis of tech and government: National Journal's Tech Daily Dose reports that Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has launched Stimulus.Virginia.Gov, a portal where Virginians (and anyone else interested) can submit ideas for how Virginia ought to use its chunk of the stimulus package (which may arrive on President Obama's desk by the weekend, just as the Dems planned...or maybe not!).
Gov. Kaine opened the site yesterday. As of 16:08 EST today, I find 763 proposals for all sorts of projects:
- #710: Replace the town of Chilhowie's water tanks ($1,500,000).
- #725: Keep Aubrey Temple's hardware store open ($50,000).
- #753: Every penny to direct tax relief ($TBD).
- #759: Subsidize medication for old folks and fix up hospitals ($100,000,000).
- #760: resurface roads in Rocky Run ($100,000).
- #762: replace an organization's furnace with new green equipment ($3,000).
The proposal report page also offers a nice little "Export to Excel" button that would allow me to download the whole list of proposals and sort them by dollar amount, proposer, etc. Bless you, Virginia.
At this rate, Governor Kaine and the Virginia General Assembly may have a general outline for how to put the stimulus money to work before Governor Rounds can even find a pen and paper to write out an order for a special session. (Legislature, my spreadsheets remain at your disposal. Give me a call!)
[cross-posted from my e-government research blog]
Meanwhile we have a SD republicant blog with 7 posts over a minor traffic accident. The anecdotal blogging differences between the VA Gov and SD repubs are an indicator of who wants to govern and who wants to merely throw stones.
ReplyDeleteJust heard the Los Angeles mayor on TV saying he wanted the stimulus money to bypass the normal channels and be given to cities that have the most people.
ReplyDeleteSo much for SD!
The vultures are now out.
My financial cortex wraps easily around #725 and #753. They would have a direct and immediate benefit to the nation's economy. The other ideas are noble, but in my opinion, they should be supported with other funds.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, Stan -- #753 didn't reverse the recession last spring. Would it work any better this time? Seems to me tax rebates would create jobs only indirectly, as the money trickled through individual pockets (with some diverted to savings), increasing demand, and producers responding by maybe hiring more people. Is that faster than the federal government saying, "We're building roads and hiring now"?
ReplyDeleteGood point, Cory. I've been looking too hard at consumer spending and not hard enough at job creation. Based on the green curve in your "holy crap" post, I suspect job creation ought to be our number one priority right now. Time for me to revise my thinking.
ReplyDelete