WASHINGTON DC – Although reporting Wednesday (Aug. 5, 2009) by the ProPublica news organization claims Recovery Act spending nationwide does not correlate with the intent to jump-start local economies out of the recession, stimulus funding in Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties seems to track along the lines of their relative needs.
A package of reports by the independent newsroom at spending so far under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 criticizes the stimulus as being “literally all over the map.” In the grants already awarded, ProPublica said, “some battered counties are hauling in large amounts, while others that are just as hard hit have received little.”
However, a Post comparison of ProPublica data on stimulus awards in Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties – collectively labeled the TriCounty area when referring to western Montgomery, eastern Berks and northern Chester municipalities – seems to show the county of greatest need got the most money per person, and the county of smallest need got the least.
The amount being spent per person in Berks County is $137.
In the TriCounty, Berks County, to the west, has the highest poverty rate (11.2 percent), highest unemployment rate (9.3 percent), lowest median household income ($52,241), and the highest stimulus funding per capita: $137.
That compares favorably with second-place stimulus finisher Montgomery County (5.3 percent poverty, 7.1 percent unemployment, $73,701 median income, $108 per capita).
By comparison, the amount being spent in Chester County totals just $54 per resident.
Chester County, to the south, has the lowest poverty rate (6.2 percent), lowest unemployment (6.6 percent), and highest median household income ($80,818). It received the smallest amount per capita: $54.
One qualifier in the ProPublica reporting package are the words “so far.” Its coverage shows that of the $792 billion set aside under the act for the national economic boost, less than 10 percent ($70 billion) had actually been spent as of July 20 (2009). Spending on another 15 percent ($122 billion) was in progress. More than 49 percent ($389 billion) had yet to be spent. And $212 billion, or 26 percent, was allocated to tax cuts yet to be delivered.
Graphics by ProPublica.org
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