By Meghna Chakrabarti (The Third Rail)

The House has passed a statewide sales tax increase, boosting the rate from five to 6.25 percent. House leaders say they expect to raise an additional $900 million in revenue, although economists call that claim a wonderful example of Beacon Hill optimism that depends on people spending as in days of old.

Still, the plan sets aside $295 million for transportation. Experts believe the move is both good and bad for the state’s ailing roads, bridges, and public transit.

On the one hand, it’s money. On the other hand, it’s not enough. (more…)

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This week on The Bottom Line podcast: As the economic stimulus package meanders through Congress, President Obama warns us the crisis could become irreversible if lawmakers don’t act now.

…Really? Co-hosts Curt Nickisch and Andrew Phelps pick apart this week’s Bottom Line Buzzword, uttered by POTUS himself: Catastrophe.

Car Talk's Ray Magliozzi, left, and his brother, Tom, in 2008. (AP)

Plus, we nominate Car Talk’s Ray Magliozzi for car czar. He’s happy with his day job at the Good News Garage, thank you very much, but he returns to the show with some advice for the next car czar: “I don’t think any stimulus or any overnight answer is going to suffice here. I think they’re going to have to start innovating.” Ray suggests the government partner with the Big 3 to build a nationwide high-speed rail network. And he renews his call for a 50-cent national gas tax.

Also on the show: If your colleagues lose their jobs but you get to keep yours, how do you feel? A workplace psychologist says a lot of people suffer survivor’s guilt at the office.

And we check in again on Dancing Deer Baking Company, a Boston cookie shop that just laid of 10 people after years of growth. There is definitely some survivor’s guilt going on there. (You can catch the whole series over here.)

Get the week’s economy news — with a Boston accent — on The Bottom Line from WBUR.

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Ray (left) and Tom Magliozzi, circa a long time ago

This week on the Bottom Line podcast: Ray Magliozzi, on why he supports a 50-cent national gas tax: “We would want to discourage people,” Ray says, “who had no good reason to drive a pick-up truck that got 11 miles per gallon just because they wanted to commute back and forth from Home Depot just to buy plants.”

A little bit of “Car Talk” tax talk with Ray Magliozzi. Plus, WBUR’s Meghna Chakrabarti explains the pros and cons of increasing the gas tax in Massachusetts by 23 cents.

Plus, President-elect Barack Obama proposes a stimulus package as big as $800 billion. We get analysis of Obama’s first speech since the election with columnist Robert J. Samuelson of Newsweek and the Washington Post.

High-tech firm EMC, of Hopkinton, Mass., announces the layoffs of 2,400 people — even though the company boasts record profits this year. WBUR’s Fred Thys visits Hopkinton to gauge the impact on the community.

Finally, the shockwave of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme reaches the shores of tiny, tony Nantucket. It involves one of the island’s summer residents and a Bulgarian housekeeper.

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Enjoy!