Update on State Funding of Stem Cell Research
For those keeping track, Forbes notes recent events in the trend towards public funding of stem cell research by US states: "New Jersey voters will decide this November whether to approve borrowing $450 million to pay for stem cell research in the state for 10 years under legislation signed Thursday by Gov. Jon S. Corzine. ... The money would support research on adult and embryonic stem cells. ... The state has already approved spending $270 million to build stem cell research facilities. Several states are competing in stem cell research. California approved spending $3 billion on stem cell research, Connecticut has a $100 million program, Illinois spent $10 million and Maryland awarded $15 million in grants. New Jersey awarded $10 million for research grants earlier this year with money from the state budget." Politicians in other states are also moving forward with similar initiatives; some are larger, such as that put forward by in New York. Distributing public funds for political gain has always been a national pastime, but it seems to be a growth industry of late.
Link: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/26/ap3956782.html