Stimulus Jobs Show Slight Decline as Spending Nears End

New initiative tracks Florida stimulus spending

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Job growth in Florida related to stimulus funding dipped 1.6 percent in the second quarter of 2011 compared with the first quarter as American Recovery and Reinvestment Act spending in the state draws to a close. In all, Florida has received $22.8 billion of the estimated $24.6 billion total it will receive over the life of the stimulus program passed by Congress in 2009.

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"Some of the big education grants are winding down," said Don Winstead, a Tallahassee consultant and the state's former stimulus czar. "I expect the job numbers to decline from here on out."  

Current information about stimulus spending in Florida is now available on the Collins Center for Public Policy website, collinscenter.org. Each quarter, the information will be updated as the federal government makes it available. By gathering this information, the Collins Center is reviving the quarterly reports previously compiled and posted by the state. Early in 2011, citing low web traffic and the availability of Florida spending data on the federal government's website, the state reduced the amount of information it posted, making it difficult to track the spending.

With a grant from the Open Society Foundations, in partnership with the nonprofit Good Jobs First, the Collins Center is making the full quarterly reports available to the public once again. Winstead, the former head of the state Office of Economic Recovery, will compile the quarterly reports and provide analysis for the Collins Center.

These compilations make adjustments for reporting errors in the federal system and provide summaries by state agency and by federal agency that are not readily available on the federal website. In addition, the compilations track information on federal Recovery Act funds for entitlement programs like Food Stamps, Medicaid and Unemployment Compensation that are not included in the maps on the federal site. We believe these reports provide a more comprehensive, accurate and "Florida-centered" reflection of the Recovery Act funds coming to our state.

Among the findings in the second quarter of 2011 report:

• By the time the ARRA expenditures are complete, Florida is expected to have received a total of $24.569 billion over the life of the program.
• As of June 30, 2011, Florida ARRA recipients had been awarded $22.8 billion.
• As of June 30, 2011, Florida ARRA recipients had spent $19.2 billion.
• The number of education jobs saved or created in Florida as result of stimulus spending from 2009 until June 30, 2011, is estimated by the government at 48,400.
• The number of full-time jobs (FTEs) saved or created in the second quarter of 2011 declined by 1.6 percent (973 jobs) compared with the previous quarter as some contracts or grants reached or neared completion.
• Of contracts awarded by federal agencies and grants awarded to or through state agencies, about three-quarters of those funds have been spent.
• Expenditures of grants, loans and contracts increased by slightly over $1 billion during the second quarter of 2011 when compared with the previous quarter, with most of this in expenditures reported by state agencies.
• Expenditures of funds for entitlement programs and other mandatory funds increased by about $744 million in the second quarter of 2011 when compared with the previous quarter.

The stimulus tracking website is part of the Collins Center's Florida Transparency Project, an initiative committed to providing an easy-to-access resource for the public in the interest of both citizen education of ARRA spending as well as government accountability. As part of that initiative, the Collins Center is joining with other foundations and organizations devoted to open government to analyze the methods and practices in place to assure government is conducted in the open.

The Collins Center began analyzing stimulus spending in 2010, producing reports on stimulus spending on the state's investment in infrastructure and on health care. A report on ARRA's spending in education in Florida is forthcoming. These reports and other resources, including discussion forums and blogs, can be found on our website, collinscenter.org. This information is provided with a belief that the best decisions made by government are those made in the presence of an informed public.

"Our hope is that the information provided in this space will prompt questions and discussions about allocation and spending decisions that affect the state's health and wealth," said Dr. Leda Perez, a Collins Center Vice President. "Citizen participation in this process can help to ensure a more transparent and accountable government."  

The nonprofit Collins Center for Public Policy was established in 1988 by Gov. LeRoy Collins (served 1955-1961) to seek out creative, nonpartisan solutions to Florida's toughest issues. Our work exemplifies Governor Collins' desire for objective analysis and his vision for a better Florida.

CONTACT:
Dr. Leda Perez, Collins Center VP
Don Winstead, Winstead Consulting LLP
727-599-9245

SOURCE Collins Center for Public Policy