-- Note: this is a "companion diary" to mooncat's story, Where's the Stimulus $$$? posted at Left in Alabama] and quotes/borrows heavily from it. I'm a Front Pager there and will be updating mooncat's effort later this morning --
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While I'm sure there are many bright spots, too, there seems to be somewhat of a cluster*&!# regarding the administration and distribution of Stimulus Funds in Alabama. See link to story above, and next 'graph.
Perhaps the stories related in the mooncat-published Where's the Stimulus $$$ ? . . . story over at Left in Alabama are just illustrative of scattered screw-ups, or maybe they're symptomatic of larger and deeper issues. Note that our Governor is Republican, the former State Supreme Court Chief Justice he appointed to "oversee" the Stimulus Funds is a hard-core Republican, and the head of the state Agency (ADECA) that is handling most of the Stim Funds is a Republican appointee.
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I just hit "PUBLISH", when I meant to hit "PREVIEW", so will be doing a few quick updates over the next several minutes.
My main purpose, besides sharing this with the D Kos Community, and nation and world at large, is to ask for reports from you, from your states. What are you hearing about how well Stim Funds are being processed and distributed and monitored in your state?
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Excerpts from the Left in Alabama Story:
Indeed, back on February 25 Governor Riley issued a press release wherein he states emphatically:
"We want to make sure every dollar government spends out of the stimulus is spent properly and that it's totally transparent."
Source
Right.
Left in Alabama has learned, through interviews with and information provided by private entities and economic development organization directors from around Alabama that things are not going so smoothly. In fact, it appears that ADECA and the Governor's Office are in the middle of presiding over a train wreck that they are causing.
A rather incendiary statement, but it's backed-up by several examples in the story-proper. And, of course, it kind of throws-down the gauntlet and says, "Well, Governor, if you say we're wrong, then prove it."