Coalition Urges Rebates for Blizzard and Mudslide Home Improvements

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

West Coast mudslides and East Coast blizzards could have a payoff for home­owners. A coalition called SmarterSafer.org is urging Congress to include in the developing jobs legislation rebates of up to $3,000 for home improvements aimed at shoring up dwellings against natural disasters and severe weather. How does it fit into a jobs bill? SmarterSafer says every $1 million spent in construction creates 27 jobs. Eli Lehrer, a senior fellow with coalition member Heartland Institute, says the feds should adopt a "balanced approach" that helps the entire nation, not just the coasts.

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