Local lawmakers react to federal stimulus bill

President Barack Obama’s $819 billion stimulus package has passed the House vote and is scheduled for a vote in the Senate on Wednesday, but many Indiana lawmakers have expressed mixed feelings about the bill.

State politicians reacted both for and against the bill, contrasting potential job creation, government programs and the bill’s ability to address the correct economic problems.

Dan Burton, R-Ind., did not vote for the bill Wednesday.

“My vote against the Democrat stimulus bill today was a vote of conscience,” Burton said in a statement. “I cannot support throwing 825 billion more taxpayer dollars into government programs that are not only slow and narrow in scope, but contrary to the widespread and immediate economic stimulus that Americans so badly need.”

Burton said he believed the bill included too much wasteful spending and would not create jobs. Though the bill will include tax credits of up to $500 for individuals and up to $1,000 for families, Burton said he did not feel the bill included enough tax relief for citizens.  

Baron Hill, D-Ind., voted for the economic package. He said the plan was “flawed,” but Hill said he believed it would at least address the current and future economic issues facing the country. In a statement, Hill said that the unemployment rate, which is up to 8.2 percent in Indiana, was another reason why he supported the bill.

Indiana Senate Democrat leader Vi Simpson also announced Thursday that she was hopeful the bill would bring up to $5 billion to Indiana to stimulate job creation.

Other economic experts said the bill isn’t addressing the correct problems.

IU economics professor Bill Witte said he believed the bill was geared to solving more short-term problems and did not address the underlying problems that have lead to the current crisis.

“Our society faces basic problems,” Witte said. “Households don’t save enough.”