Wilkinson County, a county of 10,000 people 30 miles east of Macon, is receiving more stimulus money for transportation projects than Fulton County, home to more than 1,000,000 people.
Wilkinson’s getting $56,366,518 in federal stimulus money for transportation projects.
Fulton is receiving $50,068,562.
Georgia roadbuilders — well, Marietta, Ga.-based C.W. Matthews, in particular — had something to smile about yesterday. Gov. Sonny Perdue, flanked by newly elected Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Vance Smith and U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari, made the smoggy skies rain with Obamabucks on Tuesday as he kicked off the Peach State’s first foray into stimulus spending.
On Tuesday state and federal transportation officials gathered in Hapeville to celebrate the first stimulus-funded road project to go under construction in metro Atlanta, a repaving expected to pump $940,841 into the Georgia economy.
The project is to pave 4.2 miles of Ga. Hwy. 3, a commercial corridor in Clayton and Fulton counties near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Contractors said work is scheduled to begin Monday night.
C.W. Matthews scored the project because it is God.
Now, you can argue about the stimulus all day long. Hard truth though is that it’s here, so you best spend it wisely. And a new study by self-explanatory think tank Smart Growth America and its partners says, whoa, Georgia’s made some good choices in how it spends the cash.
The rest of the country? Meh.
On April 16, President Barack Obama gave rail lovers some long-awaited good news: As part of the president’s stimulus plan, he offered $8 billion to begin linking major U.S. cities with high-speed rail lines — and an additional $5 billion more to improve rail service over the next four years.
“We need high-speed rail,” Obama said. “It’s happening right now. It’s been happening for decades. The problem is, it’s been happening elsewhere, not here.”
By “elsewhere,” the president was referring to Europe and Asia. But he could just as easily have been talking about Southeastern states other than Georgia. Thanks to a lack of vision, little to no funding, and an almost cartoonish addiction to roads, the Peach State’s far behind many of its neighbors when it comes to rail.
Transit and transportation advocates say if the state’s leadership doesn’t work to catch up, Georgia could miss out on a nationwide rail renaissance.
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(Photo by Joeff Davis)
Obamabucks! They don’t just pay for “comfort stations!”
Dave Williams of the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports:
Georgia will be on the receiving end of $665 million in federal stimulus funds to help educate students with disabilities or from low-income families.
The Georgia Board of Education unanimously approved the allocations on Tuesday in a special called meeting.
More than half of the federal aid — $351 million — will go to Georgia school districts through the federal Title I program, which provides funding for economically disadvantaged students. The rest of the money will come from a federal program dedicated to students with disabilities.
The site, which lets residents view how stimulus funds are doled out and spent by Georgia agencies, is different than the state Department of Transportation’s, which focuses on people-moving projects and bridges.
Says Gov. Sonny Perdue via press release:
“The accountability website will allow all Georgians to hold their state government responsible for how we spend their tax dollars,” said Governor Perdue. “I want to be able to point to concrete results when my grandchildren ask me how we spent stimulus money.”
Residents can also use the site to report fraud or waste.
The Georgia Department of Transportation has unveiled a website to allow residents to track projects that are part of President Barack Obama’s stimulus program.
From the department:
Visitors to the site will find links to topics including Georgia’s stimulus transportation funding chart, project categories, the Department’s current efforts, links to other sites and resources, frequently asked questions and much more. The Web site will be closely monitored and periodic updates will be added continually.
The department’s December call for transportation project proposals generated more than 850 responses from Georgia cities and counties. The president’s $787 billion plan allocated $932 million for transportation projects in the Peach State.
The department says it’s combing through the cities and counties’ wishlists — which totaled more than $1 billion — and will post information about projects once they are approved. That could be as early as Friday or Monday.
(Photo courtesy the gubment)
Maybe Gov. Sonny Perdue, in Washington, D.C. this weekend for the National Governors Association’s winter conference, has the flu. If so, get better and come home soon, sir! We wanna talk to you about this whole might-not-take-some-of-that-stimulus-money thingy.
From the Huffington Post’s frontpage (photo by Charles Dharapak of the Associated Press):
Remember those Georgia Republican Congressmen who bellyached about President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan? Their constituents might see most of its benefits.
From Jim Galloway at the AJC:
Not surprisingly, according to the White House, the stimulus will be the greatest boon in north metro Atlanta congressional districts whose Republican representatives opposed it.
The package will create or save about 9,900 jobs in Georgia’s 7th congressional district, represented by John Linder of Duluth.
Another 9,200 jobs will be created or saved in Georgia’s 6th District, which is represented by Republican Tom Price of Roswell.
• 61-37: The Senate approved the $838 billion economic stimulus bill yesterday, final negotiations begin.
• HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS: The same deadly storms that hit Oklahoma are headed east and should reach metro Atlanta by mid-afternoon.
• THE TAINT: The president of the company that owns the South Georgia peanut plant linked to the national salmonella outbreak just got served.
• The Marietta school board cuts 58 full time positions — including 38 teachers — to trim the budget by more than $3 million.
• GOTTA LOVE THOSE SERVICE CHARGES: The boss — yes, that boss — is none too happy about the Ticketmaster and Live Nation merger.
• SUPER-SIZED: Nineteen-year-old Julio Osegueda goes from obscurity at his local McDonald’s to instant celebrity (and some pretty sweet job offers) — all thanks to Obama fever.
