The Dayton Daily News reports in two articles the $1.57 billion economic stimulus package put forth by Gov. Strickland and Republican state legislators.

From the introductory article:

All told, the plan would create 57,000 jobs, Strickland said, mostly by targeting investments using money from bonds. A $400 million bond issue will be put before voters in November. The rest of the bond package — $570 million — does not require voter approval, while another $600 million would come from tobacco prevention and general revenue funds.

If we actually look at the plan, there are $400 million in road and sewer improvements which aren’t that bad.

The rest is a big handout to industry. States tend to treasure high-paying, highly skilled jobs, but $520 million is going to farmland preservation, brownfield cleanup, and historical building renovation. These kind of jobs don’t seem highly skilled, nor are they permanent.

The state will be asking voters to approve a $400 million bond issue to help fund this “stimulus package.” They would be better off not spending the money on the temporary jobs and not raising the fifth highest tax burden in the country.

Dayton radio host Maggie Thurber has more.