Now that Congress has approved a $787 billion economic stimulus plan, you may be wondering whether any of that money will help take the pressure off your wallet. But in the long-term, we should also be asking whether the stimulus package will help people
Now that Congress has approved a $787 billion economic stimulus plan, you may be wondering whether any of that money will help take the pressure off your wallet. But in the long-term, we should also be asking whether the stimulus package will help people prepare for a better future.
I examined closely the spending provisions, and there’s some good stuff in there. For instance, if you’ve been out of work for six months and your unemployment benefits are about to run out in March, you’re in luck. The stimulus calls for a $40 billion infusion of cash to extend unemployment benefits through December. That’s a good thing.
There’s money for infrastructure improvements and mass transit expansion that will create jobs. That’s a good thing, too.
But one provision seems slightly off target. The package earmarks $20 billion for an increase in food stamp payments but just $4 billion for job training. Is Congress serious? Do lawmakers believe $4 billion is enough to ramp up our workforce to compete for high-tech, green economy jobs in a global world?
I understand that there is an ongoing need for government assistance to families without adequate income. But too often, social services are the only way that government seems to know how to address the economic disparities and challenges that are unique to urban and rural communities.
A Band-Aid will only stop the bleeding for so long. People need employable skills to move beyond their circumstances. I’ve been to job fairs, and it broke my heart to see resumes that had nothing on them. No skills, no training, no work history equals no opportunity.
The American people voted for change. But the job training funding scheme, as is, will merely maintain the status quo. Let me explain. For the last eight years, due to strict performance guidelines under the federal Workforce Investment Act, job training agencies have been rewarded based on the number of job placements they make. Similarly, agencies that fail to hit certain benchmarks pay in the form of less funding in subsequent years.
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