Local biz leaders cautious about Obama’s plans

President Barack Obama says the country must continue to “spend our way out of this recession.” In a speech Obama delivered on the economy Tuesday he proposed a package of incentives aimed at stimulating job creation.

President Barack Obama says the country must continue to “spend our way out of this recession.” In a speech Obama delivered on the economy Tuesday he proposed a package of incentives aimed at stimulating job creation. Some local business leaders remain cautious about what the president’s plans will mean in the Philadelphia region.

The Administration’s recovery act included funds for “green job” training and the money helped open a training center in North Philadelphia. Now the President has proposed a new incentive program that would reward homeowners who make energy saving improvements. The goal is to create demand and encourage private sector business that would actually hire trainees.

Leanne Krueger-Branecky is the executive director of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

Krueger-Branecky: So I think its a positive thing that President Obama has talked about a market-driven solution that would create financial incentives for homeowners would do things in their own homes but its I think its most important that those contracts go to companies in the region and are hiring local employees.

Krueger-Branecky says small businesses often find it difficult to jump through the bureaucratic hoops to get government contracts.

About 80 percent of the region’s employers are considered small businesses. The head of the region’s Chamber of Commerce says very few of them end up taking advantage of the federal programs.