Committees pick apart stimulus bill

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Rep. Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) chaired his first meeting for the Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding. The committee was created to deal with the stimulus money and future bailouts that could come down from Washington D.C. in the next two years.

"Our job is to look at the package, see what it has to offer and then make recommendation to the Appropriations committee," said Dunnam.

Dunnam said the first meeting was to hear from the Legislative Budget Board and other invited testimony on what the bill entails and what deadlines the state must meet in order to tap into the money.

"My priority is transparency and accountability," he said. "We have to get that straight first before we go on a shopping spree."

At first glance, Dunnam said there are dozens of provisions in the bill for agencies at the city, county and state level. The most difficult task will be hearing every agency’s plea and then determining which plan will promote job growth.

"We need to make sure this money does what it is intended for, to stimulate the economy and not just fund somebody's pet project they couldn't find funding for," he said.

Rep, Dunnam will have to work with Governor Perry as he writes up recommendations for the $15 to $17 billion dollars expected to come Texas' way. The governor has said repeatedly that any money Texas accepts from the stimulus package should be used only for one time expenditures.

"We don't want to use the money that comes with the stipulations to expand a program that taxpayers will have to foot the bill for once the stimulus money is gone," said Perry spokesperson Allison Castle. The Texas Democratic Party wasted no time in blasting the Governor after he formally accepted the stimulus money from the President.

"Hypocrisy and partisan posturing can't fix the things Governor Perry and the Republicans have broken, so while they attack the stimulus plan, his agency heads are finding ways to use the funds to bail out programs left in shambles by Perry's misplaced priorities" wrote TDP chairman Boyd Richie in a press release.

Some Democrats continue to attack Perry for his Web site, which is adorned with the image of a U.S. flag dripping blood.

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