Jobs for Indiana, Illinois workers part of stimulus plan

BY KEITH BENMAN, Times of Northwest Indiana

kbenman@nwitimes.com

The White House now projects overall job creation of 79,300 jobs in two years in Indiana and 157,700 in Illinois under the administration's economic stimulus plan.

The Obama administration released the new stats for Indiana and other states Wednesday in a bid to boost the prospects of its $918 billion plan now working its way through Congress.

As claimed in the White House list, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan would create jobs, cut taxes, increase unemployment benefits and help modernize schools.

It also would fund an additional $100 per month in unemployment benefits for those out of work.

On the tax front, it would provide a tax cut of up to $1,000 per year for workers and their families, which would become available to workers by reducing federal income tax withholding in their paychecks.

The White House estimates 2.48 million Hoosier workers would benefit from the tax cut and another 4.89 million in Illinois.

The Obama administration also claims 176 schools in Indiana could be modernized and 412 more in Illinois.

In Indiana, the administration of Gov. Mitch Daniels two weeks ago issued its estimate of what the state would receive under the U.S. House version of the stimulus bill, which called for $825 billion in spending and tax cuts.

Daniels estimated Indiana could receive $1.75 billion for Medicaid health care programs for the poor, disabled and elderly, $800 million for education and $750 million for roads and bridges.

The U.S. Senate is now working on its own version of the bill, with Republicans calling for more tax cuts.