Statescramblingtoget,use
federalstimulusmoney
N
By SHERRY HALBROOK infrastructure projects. counties. They are the first of many
and JOHN MURPHY Nevertheless, the governor and such projects the state hopes to fund
I
O As the state struggles to close a state legislative leaders announced through the ARRA.
$13 billion budget gap, it welcomed March 11, an agreement to substitute A much more ambitious project the
C
T
the news of up to $24.6 billion it will $1.3 billion of the ARRA funds for governor hopes to launch with ARRA
A
likely get over this year and revenue that would have come funding is a 20-year comprehensive
next from the federal from new state sales rail plan for the state that would
economic stimulus bill, taxes the governor develop high-speed train service. It
E
known as the had proposed. would cost an estimated $10.7 billion
American Recovery The governor over two decades.
T
I
V
and Reinvestment also has announced The state may be allowed to tap
Act (ARRA) of 2009. he hopes to use into a special $8 billion pot set aside
It sounds as $24 million of in the ARRA for high-speed rail
though the federal ARRA funding for nationwide. If approved, New York
I
S
L
A
windfall could cut specific might have until September 30, 2012,
the state budget shovel-ready to spend it.
problem nearly in highway So far, it’s not entirely clear exactly
L
E
G
half, but that’s not the and bridge how the ARRA will affect the state
way it’s working out. projects in budget and PEF members.
The federal money is meant to help Albany, Rensselaer, The ARRA money is in addition to
jump start the national economy by Saratoga, Schoharie and Warren federal budget aid for the state.
adding 3.5 million new jobs, President Obama is expected to
including 215,000 in New York. Most
StateFiscal
present in April a detailed budget
of the money can only be spent for
Stabilization
proposal for the federal fiscal year
certain things, such as Medicaid, that starts October 1.
education and shovel-ready
The ARRA provides $53.6 billion
over two years to help state and local Community
M
ed
ic
ai
d governments avert budget cuts. Most
of this money is for education:
ServicesBlock
Th
e A
RR
A p
rov
ide
s a
tem
po
rar
y
• $39.5 billion is primarily to help
Grant(CSBG)
inc
rea
se
in
the
sh
are
of
the
Me
dic
aid
states to keep funding for K-12 and
pro
gra
m
pa
id
by
the
fed
era
l
higher education at last year’s level. New York will likely get
gov
ern
me
nt.
Th
e b
ill
pro
vid
es
$8
7
Governors may distribute any approximately $86.7 million over two
bil
lio
n i
n a
ssi
sta
nc
e f
or
27
mo
nth
s.
remaining funds to local education years for community action agencies.
Ne
w Y
ork
wil
l g
et
ab
ou
t $
12
.6
bil
lio
n
.
agencies. New York’s likely to receive The CSBG program is administered
of
tha
t o
ver
tw
o y
ear
s
$2.5 billion of this money. by the NYS Department of State and
• $5 billion over two years in funds some PEF members’ jobs there.
Infrastructure
education “incentive grants,” but states
must meet key performance measures
to qualify and then must share half of
The ARRA money set aside for
what they get with local governments.
rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure is
• $8.8 billion is provided as “flexible
W
o
rk
fo
rc
meant to get out into the economy fast.
e
relief” to states over two years, with
Th
e A
RR
A
The president and Congress want it
New York getting about $556 million,
tr
p
a
r
i
o
n
v
i
i
n
d
g
es
an
$
d
3.9
5 b
illio
n f
or
spent quickly but wisely, so it is
which it will use to replace revenue
Y
e
o
m
rk
pl
i
o
s
y
l
m
ik
e
e
n
ly
t s
erv
ice
s. N
ew
supposed to go for “shovel-ready”
from the proposed new sales taxes.
m
to
ill
g
io
e
n
t a
f
p
or
pr
la
oxi
ma
tely
$1
00
projects that only lack money. m
id
i
-
l
o
li
f
o
f
n
w
f
o
o
r
r
ke
u
r
n
s a
nd
$6
7
States have just 180 days to a
e
d
m
ul
p
ts
lo
.
y
S
e
o
d
m
y
e
ou
ths
an
d
“obligate” half of their shares of this pot
to specific projects and they must
CriminalJustice
su
of
p
t
p
h
o
i
r
s
t
f
P
u
E
n
F
din
g m
ay
hel
p
L
m
ab
em
or
b
D
er
e
s
p
’
a
jo
rt
b
obligate the rest of it by August 1, 2010.
It’s likely the state Division of
t
m
s
hi
e
a
s
n
t
f
t
t
ed
w
he
e
h
r
i
s
a
c
t
l
h
at
fu
a
e
n
d
For New York, it will likely mean:
d
mi
nis
t
Criminal Justice Services will receive
T
i
h
n
e
g
A
in
er
RR
th
s
A
e
• $1 billion for roads and bridges;
$160 million for the Edward Byrne
n
a
s
c
l
t
s
a
r
o
te
ea
i
.
i
s
n
e
cl
r
u
e
d
g
e
u
s m
on
ey
to
• $87.5 million for drinking water;
Memorial Justice Assistance Grant
u
l
n
ar
em
an
p
d
lo
e
y
x
m
te
e
nd
ed
• $439.2 million for clean water; and
program overseen by PEF members
t
n
h
t
r
b
ou
en
gh
efi
D
ts
ec
b
e
y
m
$2
5 a
we
ek
• $1.3 billion for mass transit.
ber
.
and others.
Page8—TheCommunicatorApril2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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