Gerlach doubts Rendell’s stimulus claims

Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Jim Gerlach questioned claims made by his state’s governor Ed Rendell (D) yesterday advocating a second stimulus package.

Gerlach tweeted Wednesday:

PA Labor Dept. stats from May show 185,000 fewer PA jobs compared to a year ago. What gives? We’ll check into it.

Gov. Rendell told House Oversight &Govt Reform Cmte today that stimulus has created 2,000 jobs in PA and saved 10,000 jobs. Hmmm…

PA Unemployment stats http://bit.ly/pemxI vs. Rendell’s testimony today http://bit.ly/12DNQS

Gerlach linked to a piece written by The Hill’s Walter Alarkon which details Rendell’s call for a second stimulus package.

The four-term congressman also linked to a Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry report from May supporting his claim that his state had lost 185,000 jobs compared to one year ago.

Rendell, who is chairman of the National Governors’ Assocation, said “I would like to see a second stimulus devoted solely to infrastructure…It’s what produces jobs, and produces orders for factories, American factories.”

The need for a second stimulus had generated much controversy this week. Republicans have almost universally opposed it while Democrats have been split on the issue.

Yesterday, a White House budget official tried to stamp out any talks of a second stimulus, saying “No one in this administration is talking about a second stimulus.”