Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Federal stimulus funds have saved or created 2,633 jobs in Arkansas, according to a state report released today.
Of that number, 886 through the state Department of Employment Security’s adult and dislocated workers programs, 400 through grants distributed by the governor’s office, 387 through state highway projects and 245 in local school districts, according to the report from the Arkansas Office of Recovery and Reinvestment.
“The success of the Recovery Act cannot be measured solely in jobs saved or jobs created,” the report said. “A stated goal of the Act was to help those who have suffered most during the economic downturn.”
In an effort to stimulate the struggling economy, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law in February. Under the act, $787 billion is to be distributed to the 50 states over a two- to three-year period, including $2.9 billion to Arkansas.
The report details how the state has already been awarded $1.1 billion so far, received $322.8 million and spent $112.5 million. The report also discusses some of the plans for spending the rest over the next two years.
The report cautions that it’s too early to draw any conclusions about the success of the stimulus program
“It is too early to make any statements about the long-term effect the Recovery Act will have on Arkansas’ economy,” the report says. “Significant progress has been made in individual programs that have the potential of improving the lives of Arkansans throughout the life of the Recovery Act.
Matt DeCample, spokesman for Gov. Mike Beebe, said jobs are just part of the overall impact the federal stimulus program has had in the state.
“The money is flowing, there are jobs being created and saved, obviously we anticipate seeing more of that in the coming months,” DeCample said. “Jobs are only once piece of it and those jobs are leading to other infrastructure investments, especially when you’re talking about roads and construction.”
Nationally, nearly 650,000 jobs have been created or saved under the economic stimulus plan, according to the White House, which said the nation is on track to meet the president’s goal of 3.5 million by the end of 2010.
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On the Net at recovery.arkansas.gov
