Following the Stimulus Bill - Part 1: Keeping Track

Monday, October 19, 2009
Topics: Economy, Politics
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Last week came news from Washington that only about 30-thousand jobs have been created or saved so far ....nationwide. But that data only reflects jobs linked to federal contracts with private business, not what states are doing with their stimulus dollars. State officials in Ohio said last week that some 13,000 jobs have been saved or created here with stimulus dollars. But we're told that's just a fragmentary figure; a lot of things weren't counted and most of the stimulus money hasn't been spent yet.

One of the main promises Congress and the Obama Administration made when they approved the economic stimulus package was that it would create...or save...hundreds of thousands of jobs this year!  Well, last week came news from Washington that only about 30-thousand jobs have been created or saved so far ....Nationwide.  But that data only reflects jobs linked to federal contracts with private business, not what states are doing with their stimulus dollars.

State officials in Ohio said last week that some 13,000 jobs have been saved or created here with stimulus dollars.  But we’re told that’s just a fragmentary figure; a lot of things weren’t counted and most of the stimulus money hasn’t been spent yet. 

Confused?  So are we.  But ideastream® reporter Ida Lieszkovszky has been trying to figure out just what all these numbers mean.