With President Obama's economic stimulus package clearing a major hurdle in the House on Wednesday, the City of Alexandria has already sharpened its pencil and jotted down a wish list should any of that $888 billion in Federal funds trickle our way.Click here to read the City Manager's report to the Mayor and Council on the details of the stimulus package and the detailed list of Alexandria projects that are "shovel ready" and can be quickly undertaken in six months to two years.
The big ticket item in our neighborhood would be a reengineering of the stormwater system at the intersection of Braddock Road and N. West Street, which is regularly flooded during heavy rains. This project will cost a whopping $24 million and it would be good to get federal bucks for this job, as the City faced having to levy special taxes or take other revenue measures to get the work done.
There is also some money requested for reconstructing Madison and Montgomery Streets.
Sadly, there is no money in the school renovation section ask for Jefferson-Houston. But if Alexandria is lucky and scores funds for other schools already slated for renovation over the next few years, it may move our perennially neglected elementary school up the ACPS priority list.
The Senate will debate the economic stimulus package next week.
1 comment:
"The big ticket item in our neighborhood would be a reengineering of the stormwater system at the intersection of Braddock Road and N. West Street, which is regularly flooded during heavy rains. This project will cost a whopping $24 million and it would be good to get federal bucks for this job, as the City faced having to levy special taxes or take other revenue measures to get the work done."
And exactly how many jobs will be created for this 24 million? Could this 24 million be utilized in a way that would create more jobs, and perhaps in areas harder hit by the recession than Alexandria. Although this is a needed project for our neighborhood, I really must question if it will really have a stimulatory effect on the economy? If the answer is no, then does it belong in what is being touted as a stimulus package? We're talking nearly a trillion dollars in additional spending planned, in addition to all of the deficit built up over the past 8 years. The bill is going to come due. Can we really afford it??
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