Connecticut has spent “approximately $125,000” on signs advertising that project funding came from federal stimulus grants, according to state officials.
State Recovery Act coordinator Matt Fritz said the figure includes $96,000 for signs related to transportation projects, including highways, bridges and transit.
“The remainder is derived from signs for clean water, drinking water, diesel reduction, community development and energy projects,” Fritz said. “It should be pointed out that these programs represent greater than $500 million in Recovery Act funding – so only a small fraction of funding has actually been spent on signs for these efforts.”
State Sen. Dan Debicella, R-Shelton, has criticized these expenditures. Debicella is the Republican nominee in the fourth district Congressional race against Democratic Rep. Jim Himes.
The cost of signs advertising American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding has received national attention. According to ABC News, Illinois spent $650,000 on about 950 signs and Pennsylvania spent $157,000 on 70 signs, while Arizona, Vermont and Virginia don’t allow the signs. A Tennessee official told ABC 324 signs there cost only $12,931.
According to one report, a Connecticut company made a $10,000 sign for a project at Dulles Airport in Virginia.
debicella.com)Jim Himes voted in favor of the $787 billion dollar stimulus plan. After saddling your family with over ten thousand dollars in additional debt, we still have a ten percent unemployment rate.
Himes voted the healthcare bill into law, a law which is already projected to cost more than was advertised.
Himes voted to increase our national debt by a record $1.9 trillion dollars, bringing our total debt to a new high of $12.4 trillion dollars.
Himes voted with Nancy Pelosi-led Democrats 95% of the time.
After two years of votes that create too few jobs but too big a role for government, most voters in Fairfield County disagree with each of these votes. Two-thirds of these voters think that Washington is on the wrong track. What does Himes have to say about his record in Washington? With less than two months to go before the election, Himes has this message for the voters:
“…I am proud as hell of what we have accomplished…
…I stand behind what we have done and what we have voted for…
…I stand behind what this president and this congress has been able to do…
…I am proud as hell, not just on the economy…
…I am proud as hell…I’m just proud as hell.”
If you want more of the same, then there is an incumbent congressman that is proud as hell of our current direction, but if you think that there is a better way, then you should know that Dan Debicella (http://www.debicella.com) thinks so too.