Congressman Oberstar heralds $825 billion stimulus by T.W. Budig Appearing in ECM Publications on 2008-01-30. Eighth District Congressman James Oberstar visited the Capitol today (Thursday, Jan. 29), heralding the House’s $825 billion economic stimulus package he says could put 12,000 Minnesotans back to work by June on infrastructure projects alone. Minnesota would receive some $684 million in infrastructure funding under the House plan, said Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The funding would not require the state to chip in extra dollars. He emphasized the need for states to speedily use the dollars — if they aren’t used within 90 days, they’ll be lost to other states, he explained. “Use it or lose it,” said Oberstar. Oberstar spoke of a tight oversight of the infrastructure stimulus spending. “I intend to track the investment month by month and show the American people what’s working,” said Oberstar, speaking at a Capitol press conference. If something isn’t working, they’ll fix it and show that it’s fixed, he explained. Stimulus data every 30 days Oberstar wants states submitting stimulus data — jobs created, types of trades involved — to his committee every 30 day. He’ll fight to make sure such provisions are in the final bill, he said. House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said Oberstar’s precautions were “fantastic.” Indeed, Kelliher, in a letter to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, is requesting the governor appoint a person to oversee the state’s handling of stimulus dollars. Sen. Jim Carlson, DFL-Eagan, (right), vice chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, held the gavel for the hearing. Sitting next to Carlson is House Transportation Committee Chairman Bernie Lieder, DFL-Chrookston. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has submitted lists of “candidate” transportation projects to Washington that it deems shovel-ready and suitable for stimulus funding. Greater Minnesota projects include bridge replacements over the Rum River in Milaca and near Cambridge and interchange reconstruction at Highway 95/I-35 in North Branch, among other projects. Big projects in the metro include building a four-lane freeway and interchanges on Hwy. 610 and the reconstruction of the Hwy. 169/I-494 interchange. Oberstar deemed the M/DOT project list a solid list. Kelliher complained that she had only just received it. High-speed rail early in development Oberstar, in talking stimulus transit funding, indicated that high-speed rail projects proposed for Minnesota are too early in development to qualify for stimulus dollars. But he suggested that Northstar Commuter Rail or light rail might benefit from them. Oberstar appeared before a joint House/Senate transportation committee hearing where one lawmaker, Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna, expressed doubt that the stimulus package would create the number of jobs being billed. Day questioned whether the job creation promised with passage of the state’s transportation finance bill last session ever materialized. “We can all ask ourselves how well that worked,” said Day, opining that the job creation numbers out now were so much “foo-foo dust.” But Sen. Jim Carlson, DFL-Eagan, vice chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, believes the job creation being promised by the stimulus package is real. Overnight improvement “It’s an overnight improvement,” said Carlson of the impact the stimulus could have on the Minnesota construction industry. Firms are probably hiring specialists right now, he opined. President Barack Obama will make good his intentions of fast action, Carlson believes, and that the U.S. Senate will speedily pass a stimulus bill. Carlson expressed cautious hope the stimulus package out will include oversight and accountability. Two Dakota County lawmakers, Rep. Sandra Masin, DFL-Eagan, and Rep. Will Morgan, DFL-Burnsville, numbered among the attendees. “These things are going to be monitored,” he said. Oberstar expressed concerns that Pawlenty might not use the stimulus funding in a timely manner. “I don’t want Minnesota to be stumbling around,” said Oberstar. Pawlenty Press Secretary Brian McClung chided Oberstar for the comments. Challenging times “In these challenging times, we hope Congressman Oberstar would focus on working together and set aside his predictable partisan rants,” said McClung. “Gov. Pawlenty and his administration will take appropriate action to secure federal funding available for Minnesota,” said McClung. The list of potential Mn/DOT infrastructure projects can be seen viewed at: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/federalrecovery/jan29.html According to Oberstar’s office, the infrastructure stimulus package, which includes waste water funding and other funding areas, for Minnesota is slightly more than Oberstar has been quoting — $706 million. Minnesota did better than neighboring states. All told, North Dakota will receive $235 million, Iowa $471 million, and Wisconsin $237 million in infrastructure stimulus funding under the House bill. No one really knows, opined Kelliher, the total amount of funding the state might see from the entire stimulus legislation. Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, cautioned against over exuberance, saying the federal funding will be one-time and meant for job creation. It will not solve the state’s budget problems alone, Pogemiller warned.

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