Boosting Economy Not In Plans for Some in Polk

LAKELAND | Critics of the economic stimulus package suggested the rebates would not help the economy because many people would save the money or use it to pay bills on items already purchased.

They probably spoke to people like Roscoe Smith, 48, and Chris Worley, 28, both of Lakeland.

"I'm going to put the money back into the bank account I used to pay this year's taxes," Smith said while walking along Lake Mirror. "I will not be stimulating the economy in any way whatsoever."

Smith said he had retired as a power plant technician in Gainesville, then moved here last year to find a similar job with Lakeland Electric, which he quit earlier this month to return to school. He is studying information technology at the University of South Florida.

At tax time, he discovered that not enough money had been withheld from his pension and his Lakeland Electric paycheck to cover his 2007 taxes, said Smith, who declined to specify how much he owed this year. He had just sent the IRS a "substantial check" with his return on Tax Day.

"I was thinking, 'You guys gigged me for all this money, and now you're going to throw me a few peanuts.' I had to laugh," he said.

Worley, a chef at Lakeland Yacht and Country Club, also said he would probably put the money into the bank and pay some bills. Any new spending would probably be restricted to a brief, in-state vacation, maybe to Daytona Beach.

Pat Stark, 68, of Lakeland, also had travel on her mind with the rebate money. But if it were up to her husband, Bruce, the Lakeland couple wouldn't be stimulating the economy much either, she said.

"I'd love to take an Alaskan cruise, but I know my husband won't go," Stark said during a walk through Hollis Garden.

She might be able to convince her husband to take a more modest car trip "anywhere, just out of Florida," she said. "I say that, but I don't know if my husband would say it."

Other folks from around the county had a variety of plans:

Sue Medders, executive secretary in the Lake Wales Charter Schools office: "I'm probably going to help pay off my daughter's student loans with Warner Southern College."

"I have a daughter in college and she's taking some summer courses at UF that she doesn't normally take. This will help pay for those," said Brenda Grant-O'Neal, a Lakeland resident who works in Hillsborough County, as she picked through shopping racks outside Sears at Lakeland Square mall.

"I'm getting my license back. I haven't paid my tickets so I'm going to pay them and get my license back," said Gary, who was leaving Lakeland Square mall. He would not give his last name. Asked what he would do when he gets his license back, he replied, "Drive legal." Then he got into his car and drove away.

"I'm going to stick it in the bank," said Jim Snively of Lakeland while he waited on a bench at the bus stop outside Lakeland Square mall.

"I am planning on putting our refund in the bank. We may need it to pay our bills if the economy doesn't get any better,'' said Dolores Ketchum of Davenport. She said she thinks she and her husband, Joe, will be getting a $1,200 refund.

Kevin Dees of Auburndale said it took his wife 10 minutes to decide how they are going to spend his rebate check.

"I'm going to buy … a new laptop computer," Dees said.

Bob Scott of Auburndale, who retired in June 2007, said he plans to buy a new bedroom suite.

Kathryn Henson, billing permit technician for Auburndale, said ''I'm a ballroom dancer and we have a competition coming up in July and I'm going to use my rebate check to pay for that competition."