Officials say stimulus projects underway
By RYAN KOST
Associated Press
Thursday, May 7, 2009 10:43 AM PDT
SALEM — Roughly 80 percent of the 547 projects funded by the state’s $175 million stimulus package have started putting people to work and several other projects will get under way before June, legislators were told Wednesday night.
The testimony from the heads of a dozen state agencies was much more positive than a report released last week by the Department of Administrative Services. That report, based on information almost a month old, said less than one-third of the projects had begun.
Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, called for Wednesday’s hearing, saying the Administrative Services report was ‘‘too dated.’’
Courtney was a prime supporter of the spending package signed into law in February. He said then, and still maintains, that the money should go toward projects that quickly put Oregonians to work. The projects that ultimately won approval included everything from replacing light bulbs to finishing the construction of a Tillamook school.
Legislators promised the stimulus effort would create 3,000 jobs by April. But based on the May 1 report, which included numbers through April 8, they were running well behind.
According to the report, 102 jobs had been created and 648 others saved. Lawmakers weren’t given an update on those numbers Wednesday, but it stands to reason that the amounts are higher if more projects are under way.
The terms ‘‘created’’ and ‘‘saved’’ have fairly loose definitions. According to the agency keeping track, for someone to be employed — and thus counted — they must be paid to help complete one of the stimulus projects. There is no differentiating between a job that employs someone for hours and one that employs someone for months.
Members of the budget committee seemed satisfied with the progress.
‘‘There are certainly agencies and situations that we wish were different,’’ said Rep. Larry Galizio, a Tigard Democrat who co-chairs the committee with Courtney. But ‘‘if you look overall, I think there’s a lot of good news.’’
That news, he said, included the fact that most of projects had begun, that many of them were coming in under budget and that the Department of Transportation had managed to award nearly 50 percent of its contracts to women, minority and new businesses.
Sen. Jackie Winters, a Salem Republican, was also pleased. ‘‘There are a couple of agencies that could do a better job, but I think overall they were listening to us,’’ she said.
Other Republicans were less happy.
‘‘It’s apparent that some of theses folks just didn’t get the message that this money was supposed to be for shovel-ready projects,’’ said Rep. Bill Garrard, a Klamath Falls Republican. ‘‘Some agencies just really missed the ball.’’
The Department of Forestry, for example, had begun less than half its projects.
Republicans had been critical of the plan from the start. Many said it wasn’t prudent for the deficit-plagued state to borrow additional money. They’ve also been stung by the Democrats’ rejection of their own stimulus plans, including a proposal to give homeowners a tax rebate for home improvement projects.
‘‘They’re obviously behind on their implementation,’’ said House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna. ‘‘I’m grateful for every single one of those jobs ... But is that the best use of taxpayer money?
‘‘However many jobs they create, that debt payment doesn’t go away.’’
