May 18, 2009
County-by-County funding totals accessible online
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) has resulted in more than $3.8 billion in funding for Michigan projects and priorities in the 90 days since President Obama signed the act into law.
A new feature on the state's web site lists all funding recipients in each of Michigan's 83 counties at www.michigan.gov/recovery
"The Recovery Act provides Michigan cities, counties, and small towns the opportunity to create jobs by investing in our infrastructure, supporting educational opportunities, and expanding training for workers," said Granholm. "In addition, this funding is helping to ensure that our citizens are protected in this time of severe economic challenges through additional social safety-net programs and tax cuts for working families."
Since the Recovery Act became law, the state of Michigan has received more than $3.6 billion in funding allocations, local governments and agencies have received $228 million directly, and tribal governments have been allocated almost $7 million. The allocations represent more than 50 specific funding streams to more than 1,700 local recipients. Michigan allocations include:
- more than $1 billion for transportation infrastructure, including funds for highways and bridges, transit systems, airport improvements, and Amtrak;
- $931 million for education, including Title I funding to support education for at-risk students and IDEA funding for special education services;
- $464 million in additional support for Medicaid;
- $302 million to upgrade public sewer and drinking water infrastructure;
- $243 million for weatherization assistance;
- $236 million for water and sewer infrastructure projects;
- $183 million for expanded worker training; and
- $67 million for state and local law enforcement agencies to strengthen crime- fighting services
"Citizens in every county of our state are beginning to feel the benefits from Recovery Act funds," said Leslee Fritz, director of the Michigan Economic Recovery Office. "In the days ahead, we'll see additional funding creating more jobs and providing more services to those in need."
In addition to the new county funding map, Fritz highlighted several key features of the state's recovery web site, including an overview of more than five dozen competitive grants that could provide the state, local communities, schools, nonprofits and others with the opportunity for significant additional funding and an overview of the tax cuts and policy changes included in the law that are already benefiting millions of Michigan citizens. Some of those benefits include:
- a $400 Making Work Pay tax cut benefiting more than 3.7 million Michigan workers since April 1;
- a $25-per-week increase in unemployment benefits helping more than 500,000 unemployed Michigan citizens since March 26;
- a 13.6 percent benefit increase for more than 1.3 million Michigan citizens currently receiving food assistance; and
- a $250 economic recovery payment is now being sent to more than 2 million Michigan seniors, retirees and the disabled. The one-time payment is for any resident receiving Social Security, SSI or veterans or railroad retiree benefits.
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