Chamber News

Economic Stimulus could include U. S. Route 58-Cong. Perriello

“Shovel-ready� infrastructure projects, such as the completion of improvements to U.S. 58, are the types that should be included in President-elect Barack Obama administration’s economic stimulus package, according to incoming U.S. 5th District Rep.

Perriello: 58 work fits stimulus plan Source: Martinsville Bulletin Rep.-elect Tom Perriello Sunday, January 4, 2009 By DEBBIE HALL - Bulletin Staff Writer “Shovel-ready� infrastructure projects, such as the completion of improvements to U.S. 58, are the types that should be included in President-elect Barack Obama administration’s economic stimulus package, according to incoming U.S. 5th District Rep. Tom Perriello. Perriello, D-Albemarle County, said he “certainly thinks� projects such as finishing the U.S. 58 improvements and building Interstate 73 “need to be in the mix� of infrastructure projects aimed at stimulating the economy. Obama has said he hopes Congress will have an economic stimulus package on his desk to sign when he is inaugurated Jan. 20. Some suggestions for the package have included infrastructure improvements, such as work on roads, bridges and schools. Work on widening and straightening U.S. 58 across southern Virginia began a decade ago. But there is no money to complete the project around Lover’s Leap and Vesta in Patrick County and west from Hillsville. Perriello speculated the U.S. 58 project would win support more readily than some other projects because it is “shovel ready,� meaning permitting and design work have been completed and projects could be implemented within 90 and 120 days, and would result in job creation. He hopes to address those and other issues following a group swearing-in ceremony at noon Tuesday on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. After that, Congress will go directly into session. That is a departure from years past, he said, when new members had “a short time� to decorate their offices before the session convened. However, with a multitude of issues, such as the recession, facing the nation, this is “how it should be,� Perriello said during a telephone interview Friday while he was making last-minute arrangements to travel to Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Perriello upset six-term veteran Rep. Virgil Goode Jr. in the Nov. 4 election, and his victory was confirmed in a subsequent recount. Since then, Perriello said he has been working to move “offices and move homes� in preparation for his new job in Washington. He sandwiched those tasks between stops on his “Listening Tour� to meet with constituents across the 5th District — launched during his campaign and continuing through Christmas Eve — and frequent trips to Washington to attend orientation and familiarize himself with his new surroundings. He does not yet know his committee assignments but said “our dream is transportation and infrastructure.� Perriello said he expects his first week in office will be “chaos,� as Congress faces the recession head-on and tries to come up with a long-term recovery strategy. “The first priorities, without question, are the economy and jobs,� he said. With the economy “on the verge of a serious collapse,� he said Congress must develop an attack strategy that includes investments in infrastructure. He has been surprised to learn that leading economists agree that the economy “is as bad as they’ve ever seen and they have no idea how to fix it,� Perriello said, adding the next few months will be fraught with “gut-check moments� as we collectively “pay the price� for poor decisions made in the past. Perriello also will fight for job creation and possibly a stimulus package that is aimed at helping working families and also “goes toward the long-term competitiveness� of the United States. However, “anything like the bailout bill this fall is the wrong approach,� he said. At that time, the stock market was plummeting, home foreclosures were mounting, and “the sense of urgency was so high that we did some dumb things,� he said. He did not support that $700 billion bailout at the time. Now, he said he hopes looming problems can be met with more forethought, planning and a long-range strategy to benefit even smaller communities such as those in the 5th District. “We must come up with a creative strategy to turn this thing around,� he said. “My job is to make sure small towns and rural communities� are included and benefit. As a freshman congressman, Perriello said he has been meeting and working with Senator-elect Mark Warner, business leaders and others to create a network of contacts and help ensure a successful first term. At the national level, Perriello said he hopes leaders, such as Obama, who “fell in love with Virginia during the campaign� understand “they need not to fall out of love now� but rather “get down to business.�