Sunday, December 21, 2008

State Wish List for Santy Obama

Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack.

Hear those printing presses running at the Fed?

"State makes its stimulus wish list; Patrick, lawmakers seeking federal funds" by Matt Viser, Globe Staff | December 18, 2008

Governor Deval Patrick yesterday unveiled a $4.7 billion wish list of state projects that could be jump-started immediately under a federal stimulus package, putting hundreds of thousands to work building new roads, repairing old schools, and making public buildings more energy efficient.

During a day of strategy sessions with the congressional delegation and State House leaders, Patrick said a massive infusion of federal funds could help revitalize the state's economy and offset some of the deep budget cuts he may soon have to make. The sessions were held as news continued to swirl about President-elect Barack Obama's plans for a stimulus package of as much as $850 billion, which he said he wants to sign soon after taking office Jan. 20....

Exactly where is that money coming from?

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Yeah, and does our lying, piece-of-shit guvernur ever need that "stimulus!"


Related: Patrick the Prick

"Vow to add jobs appears doomed; Patrick's promise is overtaken by national economic downturn" by Robert Gavin, Globe Staff | December 18, 2008

To the many casualties of the national recession, add one more: Governor Deval Patrick's campaign pledge to create 100,000 jobs in his first term.

Nearly halfway through his term, Massachusetts has added just 22,000 jobs. That number will likely dwindle when the state reports November employment figures today, expected by analysts to mark the third consecutive month of losses. Several economic forecasts project the losses will accelerate over the next year, leaving Massachusetts with tens of thousands of fewer jobs by the time the gubernatorial election rolls around in 2010. The state has about 3.3 million payroll jobs....

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Patrick's situation demonstrates how the state's elected officials can overreach when they promise to create jobs. Although state policies on taxes, education, and other economic issues can have an impact over the long term, job gains and losses during a gubernatorial administration are subject to national and global economic trends, economists said. State governments don't have the resources to avoid the impact of downtrends....

Look at the Globe CARRY HIS WATER by APOLOGIZING FOR HIM and EXONERTING this piece-of-shit liar we have as guvernur!!!!! That's what happens when you are an AGENDA-PUSHING PIECE of SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Administration officials said Patrick has put in place a variety of policies, including a $1 billion program to enhance the biotechnology and health science sectors, that will promote long-term economic growth.

Yup, the BILLION DOLLAR GIVEAWAY to the pharmaceutical corporations was a GOOD THING, even though "it's never been easy to turn a profit in biotech?" Flush that money away, too, taxpayer.

And look whose backs they are balancing the budget with: the blind, mentally ill, kids, and cripples!!

Of course, "one of the governor's pet projects, the $3 million Commonwealth Corporation, is only taking a 5 percent trim."

I mean, it's okay to be "flushing . . . millions of dollars away supporting a highly profitable industry" when it comes to $300 million in taxpayer dollars for Hollywood is o.k., even as the price of a school lunch rises; paying $13 million for a computer software system that could have cost less than $3 million is all right because the winner was a close friend of the House speaker, even as my poorer-than-dirt district "has been struggling to close a $2 million budget gap."; the lottery shelling out "millions of dollars" for sports tickets for "lottery officials, their family members, and friends" is fine, even as schools are closing; making interest payments to banks to the tune of "a staggering $22 billion" for the Big Pit, as we call it around here, is required, even as bridges are neglected across the state; and again, paying off banks like UBS, who can "demand repayment of an additional $2 million a month beginning in January" while also receiving a "$179 million payment," while the state pension fund loses $1 billion dollars -- which still didn't stop the executive director from carving himself a nice "$64,000 bonus on top of his $322,000 annual salary."

And that is not counting the troubles at the Turnpike!

"The authority was attempting to renegotiate terms of a complex financial deal with the banking giant UBS. Known as a swaption, the arrangement could force the authority to pay out a $450 million lump sum"

Oh, and did I not mention the $1 BILLION dollar giveaway to the pharmaceutical corporations, even though "it's never been easy to turn a profit in biotech?" Flush that money away, too, taxpayer. Of course, the war looters were next in line for a handout. And should the state be appropriating money for a "multimillion-dollar reconstruction" of golf courses?

Nor is it RECKLESS to BORROW the STATE INTO OBLIVION so they can PAY INTEREST to BANKS while SITTING ON $2 BILLION DOLLARS!

And did I forget about PAYING FOR the CORPORATE TV COMMERCIALS or the outlays for illegal immigrants?

Need one final insult, Mass. taxpayers?

"
Town officials... are trying to decide how much of a property tax break to offer and how they can secure state funding for infrastructure improvements.... although it could take several years for the studio to realize its potential"

Also see: Hollywood, Massachusetts

Hollywood (East) Disses Veterans

More Mass. $$$ to Movie Makers

Sorry, that wasn't it:

"$5m in tax breaks going to IBM for Littleton project

The Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council approved $5 million in state and local tax breaks for IBM Corp., which recently began a $63 million expansion in Littleton. IBM vice president Bob McDonald said the company plans to create 42 jobs at the site over the next decade. McDonald said the computer giant, based in Armonk, N.Y., has already begun renovating a building and hopes to move into it next month. McDonald said the tax incentives were important, but the company would have gone forward with the expansion without them. IBM has 4,000 employees in Massachusetts, including about 2,000 in Littleton (Boston Globe October 30 2008)."

Yup, but SERVICES NEED to be CUT and TAXES RAISED!!

Despite the current downturn, they added, the state's economic foundations are strong. Several national studies, including ones by Babson College, Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, have named Massachusetts as the top state in innovation, entrepreneurial activity, and competitiveness.

That sounds so McCain-like!!!

In the short term, said state Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Daniel O'Connell in a recent interview, the state is well-positioned to capitalize on the massive economic stimulus package expected to be approved by Congress after President-elect Barack Obama takes office. For example, O'Connell said, Obama has called for a major program to develop alternative energy, and Massachusetts has one of the nation's biggest and most advanced alternative energy sectors, employing about 15,000.

A key factor in awarding stimulus funds is likely to be the speed at which projects can be started and jobs created. Yesterday, Patrick said he has formed a task force to identify projects that could qualify for stimulus funding and get them ready to "go in the ground at a moment's notice."

"This mobilization plan will ensure we are ready to do just that - build worthwhile projects, create jobs, and return the Massachusetts economy to prosperity," Patrick said in a statement.

Promises, promises! This guy fucking breaks every one!!!

Related: Big Pit Getting Deeper

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