Haley Barbour, the governor of Mississippi, says he wishes the federal stimulus bill would dedicate more money for roadbuilding and infrastructure and less for things like unemployment benefits.
Barbour was one of several governors who considered declining the fed’s stimulus bill largess. He also pointed out that the social programs embedded in the bill come with expensive strings attached, mainly that once a state accepts the social program funds, it will be obligated to maintain that level of funding even after the federal money runs out. That could entail huge, permanent tax increases for the states that take the money.
