The $787 billion stimulus package signed into law this past February has not resulted in the promised thousands of new or saved jobs. The reason is clear. Nearly 90 percent of the stimulus money has not yet been spent. This is very bothersome to me because President Obama emphasized “shovel ready” projects to invigorate the economy.
The boulevards and primary avenues in the San Fernando Valley certainly need repaving but there are no road graders to be found anywhere near those streets. There are plans in the works for widening the infamous 405 freeway and extending the Orange Line Busway but little or no action has occurred even though those projects have been on the table for years. Los Angeles City officials are asking for more than $7.3 billion of the stimulus money.
Based upon the mere 10 percent of the package being spent to date one can only conclude that this entire effort was a “feel good” action that played well politically at the time but likely will not pay well in the 2010 congressional elections.
I notice that the press has not done a good job of tracking the many projects that the stimulus package was going to aid.
The stimulus money will undoubtedly be spent but it won’t be on “shovel ready” projects. Perhaps it will be spent on every congressman’s pet projects. It’s called PORK.
Coast Contact 