Politics

Three Governors Say: We'll Take Stimulus Cash

By Kevin Hechtkopf

February 22, 2009 / 1:19 PM EST / CBS News

On CBS News' Face The Nation this morning, three of the nation's governors – two Democrats and one Republican – all said they would take the stimulus money given to their state in the package signed by President Obama last week.

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"I think the president has done the right thing," Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine of New Jersey, whose state faces a $2.8 billion drop in tax revenue, told host Bob Schieffer.

"We will use those resources to make sure that college tuition doesn't explode, that we are going to invest in elementary and secondary education, to provide quality child care for our kids," said Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio, who said his state will receive about $8.2 billion. "We need these resources. And I'm very happy that the congress and the president is providing this resource to our states."

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"This is a very unusual time in the history of Ohio and in the history of the country," Strickland added. "This is not a normal economic up-and-down cycle that we're seeing. It's historic, unprecedented. And I think it's necessary and appropriate that the administration and the Congress is helping us out in these ways."

While it is not surprising to hear such sentiments from Democratic leaders, some Republican governors have been under pressure to not accept the money available to them in the stimulus. No Republicans voted for the package in the House and only three voted for it in the Senate.

But Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana said his state will take the money too, even though Indiana currently has a balanced budget.

"We are in a little different situation… But it won't last if the erosion of the economy continues at the present rate," Daniels said. "We will take it. We will try to spend it prudently and wisely. In our case, we'll try to invest it for the future of our state. We don't have the holes to fill that other states do. But that doesn't mean that we can't, I hope, use it to leave permanent assets behind, whether they're roads and bridges, or better prepared teachers. So we're a stronger Indiana when this is over."

Daniels also addressed the questions surrounding some of his fellow Republican governors and whether they should accept the money despite their vocal opposition to the plan as it wound its way through Congress. Schieffer asked Daniels if he thought it was somewhat hypocritical of some Republican governors who are saying, "Well, we're opposed to it, but we're going take the money anyway."

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"First of all, I've studiously stayed out of the debate about the merits or demerits of this package. I think my job is simply to use these funds, which are a fact of life, for the best interest of our state and its future," he said. "I think we ought to simply, you know, move forward and each of us as governors anyway make the best decision we can for our own state."

Daniels said governors "ought to follow their conscience" but also stood up for his fellow Republicans and said there were "legitimate concerns" about the plan.

"Let's have some respect out of fairness for a very legitimate point of view," he said. "There are very legitimate concerns about this bill and its massive amounts of spending that have nothing to do with stimulating the economy.

"You know, I don't know a single Republican who didn't really want to vote for a stimulus package, doesn't want to see the auto industry get back on its feet, but I'm also not going to criticize those who have misgivings or can't come to a positive conclusion on these particular bills," Daniels added. "We all hope that the president will succeed. This country needs this president to succeed, and I hope fervently that he will."

More from Face The Nation (2.22.09):

HUD Chief Defends Obama Housing Plan

Ohio Gov.: Honda Needs Big 3 To Survive

Read the full transcript> (pdf file)