The Obama administration is changing the way it counts jobs created or saved by stimulus spending in a way that will make the programs look far more successful.
Under the old rules, only jobs that were actually newly created or not lost because of stimulus money were counted. Now the administration plans to count all jobs for projects funded by stimulus money—even if that job already existed and the person was never in danger of losing the job.
The changes were made in a little noticed memo sent to federal agencies by …

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. taxpayer profits from bank bailout investments are being offset by estimated losses from American International Group and automakers and mortgage payment cuts for struggling homeowners, a U.S. Treasury report showed on Monday.
The Treasury estimated net losses on its $700 billion bailout program at $68.5 billion for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009.
The December report for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, showed that the fiscal 2009 net loss included estimated losses of $30.4 billion for AIG and $30.4 billion for automakers, with $27.1 billion …

Restaurants, hair salons, a defunct dollar theater, even Little League baseball teams. These businesses are among nearly 1,200 in Allen County that owe the state of Indiana unpaid sales taxes totaling $6 million.
The Indiana Department of Revenue is listing tax-delinquent businesses in an online database in compliance with a new state law. The businesses listed have expired registered retail merchant certificates because they didn’t pay delinquent sales tax debts – meaning they’re operating illegally.
The new law requires the agency to post the names, addresses and county locations of more than …

INDIANAPOLIS — The state House of Representatives approved a measure Monday that all but guarantees Indiana voters will be able to decide in November if property tax caps should be added to the state’s constitution.
The House passed the resolution by a vote of 75-23, with 45 of 48 Republicans and 30 of 52 Democrats voting in favor of it.
The Senate, which Republicans control by a 33-17 majority, is expected to give the tax cap resolution final passage, which will make it eligible to be on the November ballot.
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(CBS) Few would argue with the U.S. having a presence at the Copenhagen Climate Summit. But wait until you hear what we found about how many in Congress got all-expense paid trips to Denmark on your dime.
CBS investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports that cameras spotted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the summit. She called the shots on who got to go. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and embattled Chairman of the Tax Committee Charles Rangel were also there.
They were joined by 17 colleagues: Democrats: Waxman, Miller, Markey, …

The Indiana General Assembly gauged its willingness to send a proposed constitutional amendment to voters in November during a series of votes Thursday. House Republican Leader Brian Bosma says the votes on various amendments to a proposed November referendum that would write permanent property tax caps into the Indiana Constitution gave supporters and opponents a chance to send a message.
State Representative Trent Van Haaften says Hoosiers should oppose the property tax cap. None of the amendments passed. A final vote on the proposal is expected to take …

(CBS) President Obama wants the final negotiations on health care reform – a reconciliation of the House and Senate versions of the bill – put on a fast track, even if that means breaking an explicit campaign promise.
“The House and Senate plan to put together the final health care reform bill behind closed doors according to an agreement by top Democrats,” House Speaker Nanci Pelosi said today at the White House.
The White House is on board with that, too, reports CBS News political correspondent Chip Reid. Press Secretary …