Now, this sounds like a great idea.
Missouri House Republicans want to refund $1 billion of stimulus money back to taxpayers rather than use the money for pork projects.
Prime Buzz reported:
House Republicans now want to direct federal stimulus money toward tax rebates for all Missourians rather than pork projects across the state.
That’s what House Speaker Ron Richard, a Joplin Republican, told reporters this morning. His caucus will discuss the details of the plan in meetings today and perhaps through the weekend.
As much as $1 billion of the federal stimulus could be refunded to taxpayers, he said. Another $500 to $700 million may be saved for next year, and a few spending projects likely will move forward as well.
The plan contrasts sharply with the stimulus spending bills approved in the House Budget Committee earlier this week, which spent more than $2.2 billion on construction, infrastructure repairs, social-service programs and pet projects across the state.
“The budget committee did a nice job, but our caucus is not willing to spend all that money,” Richard said.”We believe — and this is the opinion of more than half — that we probably overspent, overreached on frivolous spending.”
Missouri Democrats do not support this idea.
