Spring Break
McCaskill opens up for questions
Kelley Kates
Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: News
Stimulus money was referred to in almost every answer to the audience's questions.
For education funding, a school teacher was told the stimulus has a large amount of money in it for education.
The money will come to the state and state officials will decide where it goes, but 80 percent of it must be used on education, McCaskill said.
"Green" jobs were also brought up along with questions regarding energy policy and reducing carbon emissions.
"A huge chunk in the stimulus bill is for green jobs, along with a 40 percent tax cut you will see in your paychecks."
The rest of the vast majority of the stimulus bill is geared toward creating jobs, she said. McCaskill spoke of investing in the grid so solar and wind energy can be used in populated areas. She also mentioned that the Kansas City Ford Motor Company plant is building hybrids.
Another area under fire was the availability of student loans.
"We need to make higher education affordable for everyone," she said.
She assured the audience that more access to grants is in the stimulus.
She mentioned a couple of programs in the works to remedy the cost of higher education.
One program is designed to give students a complete pass on tuition at a public school if they agree to work for the government at a reasonable rate for four years after graduation.
"I'll be shocked if we don't get it done in the next two to three years," she said. "I think we are going to do things for students but it will probably still be difficult financially for students in the next couple of years. I wish I could tell you something different."
The hour-long discussion ended with many questions still unanswered as time ran out. McCaskill reassured the audience that her interns would address all questions once they returned to her office.
kkates@unews.com
For education funding, a school teacher was told the stimulus has a large amount of money in it for education.
The money will come to the state and state officials will decide where it goes, but 80 percent of it must be used on education, McCaskill said.
"Green" jobs were also brought up along with questions regarding energy policy and reducing carbon emissions.
"A huge chunk in the stimulus bill is for green jobs, along with a 40 percent tax cut you will see in your paychecks."
The rest of the vast majority of the stimulus bill is geared toward creating jobs, she said. McCaskill spoke of investing in the grid so solar and wind energy can be used in populated areas. She also mentioned that the Kansas City Ford Motor Company plant is building hybrids.
Another area under fire was the availability of student loans.
"We need to make higher education affordable for everyone," she said.
She assured the audience that more access to grants is in the stimulus.
She mentioned a couple of programs in the works to remedy the cost of higher education.
One program is designed to give students a complete pass on tuition at a public school if they agree to work for the government at a reasonable rate for four years after graduation.
"I'll be shocked if we don't get it done in the next two to three years," she said. "I think we are going to do things for students but it will probably still be difficult financially for students in the next couple of years. I wish I could tell you something different."
The hour-long discussion ended with many questions still unanswered as time ran out. McCaskill reassured the audience that her interns would address all questions once they returned to her office.
kkates@unews.com
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