Week of September 9, 2010
Miami-Dade County stimulus job total put at 3,259 By Ashley HopkinsWhile Miami-Dade's Office of Capital Improvements estimated the $254 million the county has received in federal stimulus money resulted in 209 new jobs for county residents, a report from County Manager George Burgess that counts small payments to young people puts the number much higher. When jobs are reported as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, they are categorized by recipient, said Don Winstead, special advisor for the Florida economic stimulus. When a Florida department receives an award, the funds show up in one location even though the money may filter down to many counties. While not all stimulus funds go through the state before reaching the county, when looking at the amount Miami-Dade has received and the number of jobs it has created, figures may be significantly higher than reported. The county submitted 63 major grant applications through the first year of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, requesting about $596.8 million in funding, according to a quarterly report from Mr. Burgess. Based on this March report, the county had received 25 major grant awards and more than $254.8 million in funding and support. As a result of these funds, 3,259 direct jobs, 8 indirect jobs and 38 contracted jobs were created in Miami-Dade. This amounts to $77,103 per job. Of the projects listed in Mr. Burgess's report, one award alone resulted in 91% of the jobs created. The South Florida Regional Workforce Board received $7.3 million from the US Department of Labor to finance Workforce Investment Act Youth Programs. The money was used to expand services to low-income youths ages 14 to 21, set to increase to age 24. Services include employment, academic and vocational training. So far 3,019 people have been put to work, averaging $2,412 per job, nearly 32 times lower than the county average. Without these part-time temporary jobs, the stimulus jobs total would be 240. The regional workforce board also received $6.4 million for the WIA Dislocated Worker Program, which would assist persons terminated or laid off due to business closures, who are eligible for or have exhausted unemployment benefits, who are unlikely to return to their former occupation, who are self-employed but can't work due to the economy or who are displaced homemakers. As a result of funding, 53 people found work, averaging $120,751 per job. In addition to the WIA, Miami-Dade's Metropolitan Planning Organization received $56.2 million from the Federal Highway Administration for the Surface Transportation Program. This program allots funds to be used for highway, bridge, transit, rail and port infrastructure. The money can be used for transportation related activities such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities and paths. As a result of the funding, 78 people were put to work, averaging about $720,513 per job. Miami-Dade's Public Housing Agency pulled in nearly $19.3 million from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for the completion of 74 projects aimed at improving energy efficiencies in existing public housing units. This funding led to the creation of five direct jobs, as well as 38 contracted positions, averaging $447,740 per job. |
Top