McHugh plays it close to the vest on stimulus

By Marc Heller
Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
Nov. 22--WASHINGTON -- An economic stimulus may be all the talk in Congress now, with the stock market tanking and credit markets once again freezing -- but Rep. John M. McHugh, R-Pierrepont Manor, is holding back for the moment.

Until there's an actual proposal to discuss, McHugh does not have much to say on it, his spokeswoman said, although he agrees with some of the concepts being discussed.

Democrats have vowed to push a package worth perhaps $300 billion or more as one of their first items of business when the new Congress convenes in January. But the total price tag, as well as how the deal balances tax cuts, spending and boosts in food stamps and other low-income programs, will determine where the battle lines are drawn.

McHugh's spokeswoman, Stephanie Nigro, said the congressman is willing to consider any package the Democratic leaders can bring to the floor for a vote, a nod to the challenge they have in crafting a proposal that can pass both the House and Senate and be signed by Barack Obama when he is president.

"No bill is perfect, but the key will be finding a balanced solution that does act as a stimulus to the economy -- infrastructure spending could certainly be an important part of that," Ms. Nigro said. Historically, McHugh has supported such spending as an economic boost, she said.

State officials say New York has $410 million worth of highway and related projects ready to go as part of a federal stimulus bill, if it is big enough to fund such projects.

Generally, Republicans also are pushing for cuts in capital gains taxes and resisting what many consider pork-barrel spending. The party's new leadership will be more conservative next year and has vowed to fight spending on lawmakers' home district projects known as earmarks.

A major sticking point this week was aid for ailing automobile makers, with Republicans fighting efforts to tack a bailout onto the economic stimulus -- and many lawmakers peeved at the companies for sending their top officers to Capitol Hill on corporate jets to ask for federal aid.

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