Legislative Dems want $1B bonded for infrastructure

From the AP:

Legislative Democrats on Friday unveiled a plan to borrow $1 billion to pay for construction projects across Connecticut that they say will create more than 16,000 jobs.

The 12-month initiative calls for funding previously authorized transportation, housing, energy conservation, clean water and higher education capital improvement projects that can be started within 90 to 120 days.

The article continued by describing Governor Rell's office as "unenthusiastic."

Her office maintains that the governor will continue to use bonding as an economic development tool, but "will not do so irresponsibly and she will not do it for pork barrel projects."

This may prove interesting. Though my guess is that this, like so many other Hartford Headlines, will simply disappear without much more discussion.

Regardless, I thought the $787 billion stimulus plan was supposed to address infrastructure needs and create jobs? Why does the state need to do this?

Tim White