Tax dollars to fund stimulus publicity signs

After U.S. taxpayers shelled out $1.1 trillion on stimulus legislation this year, the government plans to use stimulus money to post $300 signs next to each project hyping the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., said the stimulus plan has failed to improve the nation's economy and taxpayers should not be forces to submit to more wasteful government spending.

"Unfortunately, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been a disappointment so far. It has done little to address this ongoing crisis, create jobs, and turn around our nation’s economy," he said in a statement. "… Considering the disappointment surrounding the stimulus bill, it flies in the face of reason that signs are being constructed at a price tag of reportedly $300 each for lawmakers to pat themselves on the back about this legislation."

According to a recent ABC News poll, barely half of Americans believe President Obama's stimulus plan will improve the economy.

Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., criticized the stimulus signs and questioned use of stimulus funds for projects such as low-traffic rural bridges, a $3.4 million safe crossing for turtles, a $3 million taxiway repair for corporate jets and $2.2 million for new skylights at a Montana state-run liquor warehouse.

Gregg introduced a bill today called the "Ax the Stimulus Plaques Act." It would "prohibit the use of stimulus funds for signage indicating that a project is being carried out using those funds."

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Ed DeSeve, senior adviser to the president for Recovery Act implementation, told the Associated Press, "We have approved more than 20,000 Recovery Act projects to get America's economy moving again."

If stimulus project signs were posted at every one of those projects, the bill could reach as high as $6 million.

Gregg said the signs do nothing to benefit taxpayers in the midst of a recession.

"To spend taxpayer dollars on signs touting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at each and every project does nothing for households who are struggling to get by or for those who've lost their jobs during the economic downturn," Gregg said. "These signs are simply for political self-interest, and it's about time they stop so that stimulus dollars can be put to better use."

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