Otter issues his stimulus recommendations
Gov. Butch Otter has released his recommendations for spending $1.24 billion
in federal economic stimulus funds, including: $408,770,000
for health and welfare programs; $260,468,980 for public schools; $36,078,300
for higher education; $159,978,000 for unemployment benefits and workforce
development; $61,894,000 for environmental quality projects; $200,334,100 for
transportation; $15,268,000 for public housing, low-income housing and
homelessness prevention; and $97,270,700 for other state government programs.
“I want to thank the members
of my Executive Stimulus Committee who assessed this complicated federal
law and what opportunities it presents for our state – as well as all the
associated costs and what strings are attached,” Otter said. “They did a great
job of providing me with insightful and meaningful analysis. These decisions
are difficult, and I took them very seriously. We don’t get any do-overs here,
so I’m grateful to the folks on the committee and the Division of Financial
Management staff for making this process manageable.” You can see Otter’s full
recommendations here. Otter said his budget director, Wayne Hammon, will
present the recommendations to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee in
the morning.
