Do you know how your state will be helped by Obama's stimulus?

[IndianaGreen]

Here are two recent stories in our local media as to how Obama's stimulus will help our communities:

Indiana could get $6B piece of the pie

President expected to sign $787 billion bill early next week

By Maureen Groppe and Mary Beth Schneider
Posted: February 14, 2009

WASHINGTON -- Indiana is expected to get more than $6 billion in direct federal spending from the economic stimulus package Congress sent to President Barack Obama's desk late Friday.

When tax cuts are included, stimulus spending flowing into the state could be more than $11 billion, according to the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank that conducted a state-by-state analysis of the bill.

The largest chunks of the direct spending would be for Medicaid, education, transportation and general aid.

The $6 billion is a hefty chunk compared with the $28 billion state budget Gov. Mitch Daniels has proposed for the next two years.

Besides easing a tight state budget, the money would boost unemployment benefits, food and housing assistance, job training, law enforcement and water and sewer systems.

More than 2 million Hoosiers could see their tax withholding go down within weeks of the bill being signed into law. More than 145,000 Indiana college students could get an increase in their Pell Grants.

And about 75,000 Hoosiers jobs could be created or saved, according to Democratic estimates.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090214/NEWS05/902140480

Brownsburg awaits clean water funding

Updated: Wednesday, 11 Feb 2009, 7:05 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 11 Feb 2009, 5:52 PM EST

Jay Hermacinski
Edited by Andrew Bonner

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have reached an agreement on the stimulus bill. Now officials in Indiana are waiting to find out if the bill includes clean water funding. Twelve communities, including Brownsburg, are on standby to receive funds should they come available.

When it rains hard in Brownsburg, more than just storm water flows into White Lake Creek, overflow sewer water can end up there too. The town wants to build a new holding tank to eliminate the problem. The Environmental Protection Agency is mandating the project, so getting federal money for it would help.

"We are required to either eliminate combined sewer overflows from going into our waterways, or at least treat them to a certain extent that is established by IDEM or EPA," said wastewater superintendent Kathy Dillon.

The multi-million dollar tank will have to be built. It will be a giant rectangular shape and hold over a million gallons of overflow water.

Brownsburg is one of 12 Indiana communities waiting to see if they will receive stimulus money from Congress. The House version of the bill included $140 million for Indiana wastewater projects and $28 million for drinking water projects. The money would be loaned to the communities by the Indiana Finance Authority.

"They are shovel-ready projects. We are putting Hoosiers to work and this is where we can really generate the jobs on all of these," said Jenny Alvey of the finance authority.

Besides creating jobs, the stimulus money would save Brownsburg residents millions of dollars.

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/region_6/Brownsburg_awaits_clean_water_funding

QUESTION: Do you know how your state will be helped by Obama's stimulus?

If your answer is Yes, please tell us how your community will be helped by the stimulus. Thanks!

[wyldwolf]

1. yep! Here's how GA breaks down

State in line for $5.9 billion (Augusta Chronicle)

Saturday, February 14, 2009

ATLANTA --- Georgia is expected to get $5.9 billion for transportation, health care and other programs from the massive economic stimulus package now on President Obama's desk.

The $787 billion package includes a $1.7 billion infusion for Medicaid, $1.2 billion for education and $1 billion to build and repair highways and bridges in Georgia, according to Federal Funds Information for States.

Georgia legislators, facing a $2.2 billion deficit, hope the money will help them stave off deeper budget cuts and furloughs. The money for health care, for instance, could prevent a 1.6 percent hospital fee to offset a widening Medicaid deficit.

But state officials were quick to say the tidal wave of federal cash is no a magic fix.

"It's not a panacea," said Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, who reminded lawmakers Friday that Georgia's unemployment rate hovers around 8.1 percent.

Lawmakers have already decided to slow the 40-day legislative session in anticipation of the federal dollars. Both chambers agreed last week on a plan to disband in late March and return in June to consider any final budget changes.

State officials said Friday they might need time to determine how the stimulus affects their projections.

"It's a moving target at best," said Ron Jackson, the commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia. "We're as in the dark as anyone else would be. There's too many unknown variables."

DISTRIBUTION

How the funds could be doled out, according to the preliminary review by Federal Funds Information for States:

- $1.7 billion for Georgia's Medicaid program

- $1.2 billion in education dollars

- $1 billion to build and repair roads and bridges

- $333 million for special education programs

- $90 million for public housing

- $82 million for child care programs

- $33 million for homelessness prevention

- $20 million for the Head Start program

[IndianaGreen]

2. Great info, thanks!

Lawmakers have already decided to slow the 40-day legislative session in anticipation of the federal dollars. Both chambers agreed last week on a plan to disband in late March and return in June to consider any final budget changes.

Meanwhile in the US House, all the GOP representatives voted 'No' on the bill and they are whining now that they didn't even read it (like PATRIOT?).

[Katha]

3. $26 billion for California

And boy, do we need it.

The $789-billion economic stimulus bill headed toward congressional approval is expected to pour $26 billion into California -- building roads, upgrading schools and launching other projects intended to create or save jobs.

The expectation is that the federal government will funnel at least $9.2 billion directly to the state treasury, mostly for education and healthcare, in the next 18 months. Millions of Californians will get a tax cut aimed at promoting consumer spending.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-stimulus-calif13-2009feb13,0,2183457.story

[IndianaGreen]

4. Arnold was talking of layoffs and delaying tax refund checks

What's the latest on all that?

PS: Thanks for your post.

[JBoris]

5. Other: I kinda sorta do

I heard my governor (Crist FL, who is a repub and vocal supporter of the bill) say that we'll get about 10 Billion, but I don't really know what for.

[csziggy]

8. We would have gotten roughly 6 billion or so but Florida has cut the budget so much we cannot come

Up with the required matching funds for some of the items. And of course our brilliant Repub legislature will not increase the state budget even if it means getting more money for many of our desperately needed projects or to help our most needy citizens.

[snowbear]

6. I wish they'd deny our governor one----single---- cent!

.
.

First she was whining about how much she needed stimulus cash -- even hoping to talk to President Obama directly while attending the Alfalfa Dinner in D.C.

Wanted to lobby him personally for $$$$..

Then.... after BONER of the 'Republic' Party told his lunatic members to vote against it, Ms. Palin completely changed her tune claiming she was "completely against it!!!"



So of course local progressive radio, as well as two different wingnut radio-jocks that dislike Palin, were all over it - talking about what a flip-flopping hypocrite she was.

As the radio and print media in Alaska continued to cover the fact that Palin didn't want anything to do with stimulus cash, she came out with a third take on it.

"Well... .. I didn't actually say I didn't want any money, what I meant was that I...

er... ... that I...

Uhhhhh...............

... I said that I.... ..

..

... = =

....

I said that if I got any..

.. that I'd only spend it "responsibly"...

Yeah! ... that's what I said!"

-

Screw her!

[AZBlue]

7. Despite my senators' asinine behavior over this bill, AZ will get $3 billion.

The money is sorely needed - we're $1.6 billion in the hole and program like, oh, kindergarten and college programs are getting cut. You know, those fluffy, feel-good programs that only Democrats support.

[kcass1954]

9. I don't know how much Florida is going to get, but I'm fairly certain that our

legislature will figure out how to piss it away on something stupid. I doubt that my little town will see much.