February 25, 2010
By Matt Kelley, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Not all jobs are created equal.
It cost more than $500,000 in stimulus funds to create a single highway construction job, largely because of building materials, a USA TODAY analysis of stimulus reports shows. Education aid and research funding are among the cheapest ways of creating or saving jobs at less than $60,000 each, the analysis shows.
As the nation's jobless rate is at 9.7%, Congress is trying to find ways to pump up employment. The Senate passed a $15 billion jobs bill Wednesday that includes tax incentives for hiring and more money for highway construction. The bill goes to the House, which passed a larger jobs measure in December that included highway and education spending.
Republicans such as Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire have criticized the stimulus package for adding to the national debt and not doing enough to create jobs. Gregg opposed the jobs bill, saying the nation can't afford the measure's highway construction spending...
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski