Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY), a freshman who won last year with Tea Party backing, campaigned vigorously against President Obamas stimulus plan, a legislative package backed by his opponent, former Rep. Mike Arcuri (D-NY). Hannas ads pounded Arcuri for voting for the failed stimulus.
But on Tuesday, Hanna seemed to be celebrating a successful stimulus program. Starting in 2009, workers funded by the stimulus refurbished a jobs placement and innovation facility, called the REACH Center, in downtown Rome, NY. Owned by a nonprofit called Rome Up and Running, the REACH Center won the stimulus grant to employ several dozen local youth to make renovations to the building. The investment paid off. Now, the REACH Center is open for business and has landed two tenants.
As the first tenant for the REACH Center moved in this week, Hanna was on-hand for the celebration. In fact, the Rome Observer snapped a picture of Hanna attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony. No word though if he gave thanks to the failed stimulus for making it possible.