For the last two days, Congressman Walz has been conducting listening sessions about the stimulus bill. Yesterday, Walz met with local leaders and concerned citizens in Mankato and Rochester; today's stop was in Luverne.
KEYC-TV reported on the listening session at South Central College in Walz Discusses Stimulus Vote:
Representative Tim Walz was in Mankato today talking about President Obama's economic stimulus package. Walz hosted a listening session at South Central College with local school district, city, township and county officials. It's all in an effort to raise awareness and support for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill, which plans to spend 819 billion dollars. The bill passed the house yesterday in Washington with Walz voting in support. He says it's what needs to be done in a time of economic crisis. Tim Walz says, "It was meant to be a life preserver to stop the hemorrhaging of jobs we've seen across this country, build up the confidence in the system. Provide relief to taxpayers...and also give our small businesses some breaks so they can get going again." Walz is also in Rochester today and heads to Luverne tomorrow.
From the looks of the audience shots (video at the link above), attendance was respectable. KAAL-TV in Rochester attended the session at that city's public library and reports in Tim Walz on Stimulus Package:
820-billion dollars is a large number to wrap your head around and people from all across Southeastern Minnesota came here to do just that.
"I don't know all the details, I'm hoping to find more details. That's what I really want to know," said Lyle Tjosaas.
Lyle came from Dodge Center and is fighting for industry investment and the housing market.
"Sometimes I think we're spreading ourselves too thin. We need to be careful."
A couple seats to his right, Mary Kay Feltes from Owatonna is fighting for her employer, the public library.
"We're getting crowded out too and we're definitely a big part of the infrastructure in our town."
And Representative Tim Walz is here to carry their fight to the White House.
"These are experts that know far more about the delivery than anyone in Washington, myself included. We need to take back their consideration. This bill's not done yet," said Walz.
Walz says while the stimulus bill and Minnesota’s four and a half billion-dollar share of it helps it isn't the solution.
"What we have to do is get the trust of the American public going again, we have to invest in innovations, and the private sector," said Walz.
Investments that are going to take bi-partisan support adjustments and most importantly time.
The Post Bulletin's Heather Carlson focused on a different angle to the story in Cities put in a word for direct funding. :
A day after voting in favor of an $819 billion federal stimulus package, 1st District Rep. Tim Walz made two stops in the district to listen to local officials worried about having those dollars sent to the state instead of directly to cities, counties and schools.
Officials said they were worried that the state might use some of the money to plug its own budget gap.
Walz, at a meeting in Rochester, said he agrees that giving the money directly to local governments makes sense, but he added that the idea probably wouldn't win support because of concerns about controlling the funds. Yet Walz said he believes that local government officials are more accountable because voters can get rid of them easily.
"I thought for this stimulus for impact, accountability and the biggest bang for the buck for our local constituents and taxpayers was to do the model the mayor is asking for. I don't think they are going to do it," Walz said. "I think they are making a mistake." . . .
The Post Bulletin also ran the same article under a separate headline:Walz listens to concerns about stimulus funds. Read the entire article at either link.
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