WELLSTON, MO ( KTVI-FOX2now.com/AP) -
Vice President Joe Biden defended the Obama administration's efforts to boost the economy with billions of taxpayer dollars during a speech in a St. Louis suburb Thursday. "We are making genuine progress," he said adding "we have a lot further to go."
The White House chose the St. Louis County Police and Fire Training Center in Wellston as the location to tout early results of the Recovery Act. So far, Missouri has received close to 145 million dollars in economic stimulus grants. Among the tangible results the vice president pointed to was funding that kept the St. Louis City Police Department from laying off fifty new recruits. They begin their academy training next month. Among those in the audience was University City's Fire Chief Steve Olshwanger whose department will build a new fire station with money funneled through the Department of Homeland Security.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon praised the federal program for helping maintain critical state services. "Without a doubt one of the areas where the Recovery Act has been most instrumental is in local law enforcement," he told a crowd of some 200 gathered to hear the vice president's address.
Biden discussed tax relief, a cash payment directed to senior citizens and veterans and new money for education. He spoke to critics who have questioned billions loaned to the banking industry pointing out major banks are paying back the government with interest. "Experts argue had we not done that the great recession would have morphed into a great depression," he said.
One member of the audience questioned how the funds borrowed for the stimulus will be paid back. Lisa Krempasky of St. Louis City said, " I think we're selling out the long run for the short run when cutting out fraud, waste and abuse in the system could save a lot of problems."
Wellston school counselor Anita Hayes-Birt was pleased by the vice president's message. "We wanted to hear about how the money was going to be used to impact the community."
Normandy School Board member Nancy Hartman praised the use of stimulus dollars for education. She said her district is spending their grant to hire parent liasons for each school to improve parental involvement.
Biden did not mention a report released Thursday by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, an independent government oversight board. it announced businesses report saving or creating 30,000 jobs in the first months of the stimulus program. The report covers projects funded by less than $16 billion worth of federal contracts.
The White House chose the St. Louis County Police and Fire Training Center in Wellston as the location to tout early results of the Recovery Act. So far, Missouri has received close to 145 million dollars in economic stimulus grants. Among the tangible results the vice president pointed to was funding that kept the St. Louis City Police Department from laying off fifty new recruits. They begin their academy training next month. Among those in the audience was University City's Fire Chief Steve Olshwanger whose department will build a new fire station with money funneled through the Department of Homeland Security.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon praised the federal program for helping maintain critical state services. "Without a doubt one of the areas where the Recovery Act has been most instrumental is in local law enforcement," he told a crowd of some 200 gathered to hear the vice president's address.
Biden discussed tax relief, a cash payment directed to senior citizens and veterans and new money for education. He spoke to critics who have questioned billions loaned to the banking industry pointing out major banks are paying back the government with interest. "Experts argue had we not done that the great recession would have morphed into a great depression," he said.
One member of the audience questioned how the funds borrowed for the stimulus will be paid back. Lisa Krempasky of St. Louis City said, " I think we're selling out the long run for the short run when cutting out fraud, waste and abuse in the system could save a lot of problems."
Wellston school counselor Anita Hayes-Birt was pleased by the vice president's message. "We wanted to hear about how the money was going to be used to impact the community."
Normandy School Board member Nancy Hartman praised the use of stimulus dollars for education. She said her district is spending their grant to hire parent liasons for each school to improve parental involvement.
Biden did not mention a report released Thursday by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, an independent government oversight board. it announced businesses report saving or creating 30,000 jobs in the first months of the stimulus program. The report covers projects funded by less than $16 billion worth of federal contracts.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon
