Gov. Patrick goes to Washington today, talks stimulus

BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick is representing Massachusetts at a major economic address being delivered by President-elect Barack Obama.

A spokesman for the governor says Patrick is traveling to George Mason University in suburban Washington on Thursday at the invitation of Obama's transition office.

Obama has urged Congress to pass a roughly $500 million stimulus package and $300 million in tax cuts. Patrick and other governors hope it will jump-start local economies.

Patrick has taken it upon himself to try to organize gubernatorial input to the plan.

Last week, he and four other Democratic governors called for a $1 trillion boost in federal aid to the states and District of Columbia to deal with unprecedented local budget shortfalls.