So far, some $7 billion in federal recovery money has been flowing to Washington state. But it hasn’t resulted in a jobs bonanza. That’s the upshot from a report being filed with the feds. Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins has details.

Here’s how the money breaks down. Two billion dollars is direct spending by the federal government. Most of it destined for the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. They’ve only just started spending the money. The result so far: fewer than 3,000 jobs created or retained. Another two billion is going to the state. So far about a quarter of that has been spent – mostly on K-12 education. Enough to keep 25,000 teachers in the classroom. Jill Satran is Washington’s Recovery Act Coordinator. She says it’s not just about creating jobs.

Satran: “Although that’s huge and we’re thankful for that. It’s really about being able to get the work that is being funded here done as well.”

That includes road paving projects, drinking water system upgrades and improvements to wastewater treatment systems. Another three billion in federal recovery dollars are going directly to local communities in Washington and to individuals on programs like unemployment and food stamps.

Copyright 2009 KUOW

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