Plant Services - June 2008 - (Page 7)

FROM THE EDITOR Stimulation conundrum What would you do to improve the economy? “But the tiny checks the Treasury just sent out are barely hose of us who live in the United States probably enough to pay our rising fuel bills. We need a stimulus have or will soon receive a check from the U.S. package that’s truly up to the job of restoring aggregate Treasury, issued as part of the government’s ecodemand,” says Robert Reich in his May 23 commennomic stimulus act. I use and love tax-return software, but tary on National Public Radio (www.plantservices.com/ I have an aversion to e-filing (don’t want to put any governarticles/2008/099.html). ment data-entry professionals out of work by making it too Reich teaches public policy at the University of California, easy), so mine might be one of the last checks to be cut. Berkeley. His latest book is titled “Supercapitalism.” “The But I expect it any day now, and I haven’t made a plan for best and easiest candidate is spending on the nation’s crumspending it, so I ask you, our wise, worldly and experienced bling infrastructure,” he says. “We’ve deferred Plant Services readers, what you think I should billions of dollars of maintenance on bridges, do with it. sewers, water systems, levees and dams. That’s The idea here is to spend it in a way that We need already cost the nation dearly.” grows the economy. Should I roll the dice a stimulus Reich says the public doesn’t trust the with some stock in an established company or package that’s government to spend money on infrastructry to support an emerging technology? And truly up to the ture wisely when earmarks go to “bridges to in what field? How about clean energy? A recent report, task of restoring nowhere.” So he suggests the next president establish a capital budget that lists infrastruc“Job Opportunities for the Green Economy,” aggregate ture projects in priority order. “No more earsays that getting away from the “dirty, fossildemand. marks,” he says. “The capital budget will refuel-based economy” would lead to millions flect the nation’s true infrastructure needs.” of new jobs in manufacturing, unions and the The government would fund the capital building trades. Can anyone tell me how I budget “the way capital budgets should be funded – through could use my stimulus check to help make that happen? borrowing that assumes a realistic return to those capital I don’t think I should spend it on an appliance or elecinvestments, just like any smart business does,” Reich adds. tronic gadget made in China, or splurge on fuel for a long “That way, we keep the economy growing, create millions car trip, and it would feel un-American to pay off debt or of jobs, and we get the infrastructure we need for the put it in the bank. Maybe I should get my wife a new front 21st century.” door for our house, made in the USA, finished and installed What do you think of that? And seriously, how would by starving local craftspeople, or replace some of our dead you spend a stimulus check or otherwise help improve the landscaping with plants from a local nursery. U.S. economy? If you have an opinion, a good idea, or have Why do some countries’ economies grow and others already decided and are willing to share your thoughts, drop don’t? A commission set up in part by the World Bank has me an e-mail at the address below. If you’d prefer to go pubbeen working on that question for a couple of years and lic and see what others are saying, visit our blog at www. recommends, among many other things, heavy investment PlantServices.com/plantperformance. in infrastructure. Economics professor Burton Malkiel notes that China’s economy has grown 9% to 10% annually for 25 years and credits the country’s investments in education and infrastructure. PAUL STUDEBAKER, CMRP There’s no doubt that how our government spends our monEDITOR IN CHIEF ey (or in the case of this stimulus, our children’s and grandchilpstudebaker@putman.net dren’s money) has a profound effect on the economy. (630) 467-1300 ext. 433 June 2008 www.PLANTSERVICES.com 7 T http://www.plantservices.com/articles/2008/099.html http://www.plantservices.com/articles/2008/099.html http://www.PlantServices.com/plantperformance http://www.PlantServices.com/plantperformance http://www.PLANTSERVICES.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Plant Services - June 2008

Plant Services - June 2008 Contents From the Editor Letters The PS Files Up and Running Crisis Corner What Works Asset Manager Technology Toolbox Cover Story HVAC Coatings Motors Web Hunter In the Trenches Product Picks Classifieds Energy Expert

Plant Services - June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.