Local transportation stimulus spending lags far behind health, education and social services spending
Published Feb 2011
State Comptroller Reports $700 Million Spent From February 2009 to September 2010
Of the $10 billion in federal stimulus money distributed to New York City as of September 2010, just 7 percent ($700 million) has gone to highway, bridge, mass transit and other transportation-oriented construction projects, according to a New York Building Congress analysis of data supplied by the office of New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
By contrast, $2.6 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was devoted to health and human services, with the bulk used for Medicare and Medicaid assistance. Another $2.4 billion was used to reimburse New York City for unemployment insurance expenditures.
Other significant stimulus outlays were devoted to Education ($1.8 billion), nutritional programs ($849 million) and housing assistance ($772 million).
On the positive side, actual spending on New York City transportation projects increased significantly in 2010. As of January 15, 2010, nearly one year after Congress passed ARRA, just $857,000 had been spent on transportation projects. By September 2010, that number had jumped to $700 million.
Of the $700 million, $409 million has been distributed through the Federal Highway Administration, primarily for highway and bridge work. Another $276 million has been distributed by the Federal Transit Administration for mass transit projects in New York City.
In its analysis, the Building Congress also found that New York City has received 27 percent of the $2.6 billion allocated to transportation projects statewide as of September 2010. Of the $1.13 billion originally earmarked by the Federal government for New York State surface transportation projects, $931 million has been spent or committed by contract. Just under $200 million had yet to be committed as of September.
“New York’s elected and agency officials deserve great credit for getting the money flowing to allocated transportation projects throughout 2010,” said Building Congress President Richard T. Anderson. “In addition to improving New York’s transportation infrastructure, these projects mean good-paying jobs for the industry and a boost for the local economy in the short-term, in addition to the long-term improvements to New York City’s transportation infrastructure.”
Mr. Anderson added, “Unfortunately, the overall stimulus package has fallen fall short of its promise as a jobs generator. The lion’s share of the money has been devoted to programs designed to lessen the impact of the economic downturn on individuals and offset operating deficits of local governments. While such spending offers an important safety net during a severe downturn, it does little to stimulate the broader economy, create new jobs and prepare the region for renewed growth. The Obama administration had discussed a second federal stimulus package, focused more intently on infrastructure and job creation, but that appears no longer to be on the agenda.”
Source: Office of the New York State
Comptroller
Source: Office of the New York State
Comptroller
Raw
Data
