| I've been doing some door-to-door canvassing in upstate New York for Joanne Yepsen, an excellent Democratic challenger to a do-nothing state Senator.
It's a targeted canvass, so it's not hitting every door.
I prefer to canvass in urban neighborhoods, mostly because I can park the car and walk a bit, rather than the constant driving to every house or two that occurs in suburban/exurban areas of Rensselaer County.
One thing I've noticed in my canvassing is that a lot of older houses need work, and presumably that work is not being done because the owners can't afford it right now.
I rarely get inside, but can see from the outside that many houses could use paint/siding, new windows, repair of steps/walkways/driveways, a new roof, etc.
I'm pretty sure that inside there are similar home improvement needs.
There's an opportunity here to create jobs, in the construction sector that has been seriously hurting for a couple of years, by having the federal government do what it's done for the auto industry, the real estate industry, the renewable energy industry, etc. -- provide a tax credit for necessary home improvements.
Details, below. |
| I'm no economist, just someone who sees work that needs to be done that goes beyond new road surfaces and other infrastructure repairs.
Tax credits for Cash for Clunkers, buying a house, and installing residential solar/wind worked to increase demand and stabilize employment in those sectors.
And, of course, Wall Street got much more than all of that during the 2008-09 emergency.
So here's my idea -- a tax credit of up to $5,000 for 33 percent of the cost of qualified home improvements undertaken by people who make less than $200,000 a year.
As with Cash for Clunkers and the $8,000 house-buying credit, this would stimulate demand and create jobs. It would also improve living conditions for millions.
Win/win, IMHO.
There would have to some degree of government oversight to qualify the home improvements, ensure that the construction contractors are law-abiding and taxpaying, and that the work actually gets done.
Smart Democrats in Congress could figure the details out.
It's too bad they didn't do so sooner. |
