Keep measured pace on stimulus spending

Our president and government are pushing for a huge increase for infrastructure spending. Projects will include neglected maintenance to existing roads and bridges, as well as new roads, bridges and buildings. These projects will indeed put people back to work, trucks back on the road, and get idled machines and equipment moving again.

But we need to keep the size and scope of this spending to a more moderate pace. Otherwise we run the risk of inflating the costs of commodities such as steel, copper, concrete, lumber, gas. The present low cost of commodities is helping many companies stay afloat, as they struggle with lower sales volumes.

The low cost of gasoline and heating oil is immensely helping consumers, as they struggle with losses on their investments, homes and jobs. If the spending on infrastructure projects becomes too large, it will significantly increase the price of these commodities. Significantly higher commodity prices will hurt both companies and consumers, causing a drag on the economy Let's increase our spending on infrastructure, but at a measured pace, so that we keep a lid on commodity prices.

David Hrdlicka

Bartlett