Goodlatte says Economic Stimulus flexibility is limited

Federal stimulus money must be used to create jobs, which could take away some leeway that local officials otherwise might try to exercise in saving jobs, among other priorities, Rep. Bob Goodlatte said Monday.

For instance, local officials have set spending priorities, with less revenue because of the economy, and may have to consider laying off employees, said Goodlatte, R-6th District.

The stimulus money cannot be used to keep those jobs, but rather only to create jobs.

There is a waiver, but many details in the measure, and how they will work, are still being analyzed, he said.

The same question over how the money must be spent has come up throughout his district, said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, who spoke to Amherst County supervisors Monday morning.

“We’re all still learning everything that is in this package,” Goodlatte told supervisors on a swing through parts of his district, which includes Amherst County among 11 counties and nine cities.

Funds will reach communities in two ways: through state governments and through federal agencies, for which local officials must apply, Goodlatte said. That could benefit local officials, who may have been turned down previously when they applied for money for various projects and now could apply again, Goodlatte suggested.

“A jolt is the goal, but a lot of money won’t get into the pipeline immediately,” said Goodlatte, who voted against the measure.

He also said he supported a watchdog function to monitor how money is spent, and he said the stimulus is different than the bailout that was approved before that to shore up the banking industry.

“There are some people in those banks who ought to be fired outright,” he said.

Goodlatte said the stimulus also contains funds for broadband and high-speed Internet, which he equates to the importance of railroads to emerging communities in the 1800s.

Last week, supervisors heard a presentation from Bryan David of Region 2000 in which he discussed creation of a broadband authority.

Fewer than 10 Virginia localities have broadband authorities, and none are in the Lynchburg area. Bedford is considering one.