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The state says its Go Oregon stimulus program has created or sustained approximately 7,500 jobs, but an analysis by The Oregonian suggests that number may not be accurate. Last February, the governor signed a bill that created a state stimulus program designed to spend $175 million on "shovel ready" projects around the state. The state has spent about $93 million so far, which is less than half the amount of federal stimulus money that's flowed into Oregon. Yet, the number of jobs both the state and federal governments claim have been created or retained by each program is comparable. This begs the question: how do you define a job?
As it turns out, there are different ways to define a job. The federal definition is based on a calculation of hours worked, while Oregon's method is to count the individuals working on a given project and put them into one of two categories based on whether they were hired for that particular project or not. It's hard to say exactly what accounts for the different ratios between spending and jobs in the state and federal stimulus programs. The state agency responsible for reporting data for the "Go Oregon" project removed the most recent report from their website, saying it was "inaccurate."
Has your job been affected by the state stimulus? How do you measure the effectiveness of the "Go Oregon" program?
GUESTS:
- Steel Maloney: President and principal hydrologist at Cascade Earth Sciences
- Nick Larson: Senior construction project manager for Department of Administrative Services for the state of Oregon and program manager for "Go Oregon"
- Harry Esteve: Politics reporter at The Oregonian
- Dave Hunt: Speaker of the House for the Oregon House of Representatives (D-Gladstone)
Tagged as: jobs · legislature · stimulus
Photo credit: TheTruthAbout... / Creative Commons
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Likely because the Stimulus was never targeted at the entry-level/skill part of the job market.
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While it might not have been intended for entry-level jobs, it seems to me that it should still help all segments of the job market.
In MY case, the reason why I have been applying for a wide range of Entry-level jobs is that I have experience in the jobs I described AND the belief that these would be the most numerous jobs available.
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Well perhaps you have to consider the fact that everywhere in the country is in this position. I had a hell of a time finding a job when I was unemployed. It seemed as though every place wasn't looking for a college grad, because they didn't want to pay me what I deserved. However, I did end up finding a job in the Automation Equipment field! Good luck.
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What stimulus? I've been unemployed since 2007. The jobs I've applied for have not led to employment.
I can not perceive benefit from the Go Oregon program but that doesn't mean there isn't benefit for some.
7,500 hundred jobs spits into the wind. 232,000 (2009) unemployed Oregonians under reports the situation. I've never been counted because I've never filed for unemployment.
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I concur that both the federal and the state stimulus packages have worked, and alleviated the worst of what could have been Great Depression II. Unfortunately, neither has benefitted me, directly; I've been on unemployment for going on 11 months, and will exhaust my benefits, the end of April, at which time I will have to file for an extension. The only way that I have been able to maintain health insurance is through the COBRA premium reduction program that was part of the stimulus.
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Our niche contracting company has been able to sustain our workforce without layoffs partially due to the Go Oregon! stimulus program. While we have not been able to add employees, we are able to sustain our workforce of about 70 full-time Oregon employees in part due to state money being directed through public work contracts to Oregon based Corporations such as ours. Without these funds for necessary and overdue improvements to educational facilities, we most likley would have added to the unemployed numbers. Our company and workers are grateful for this money and understand it is a result of a successful government program that directly affected our business.
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In speaking to the backlash against government spending, mostly at the national level, I believe we not only need more civics education, but also economics education. This should be part of a complete education. The Great Depression was ended because of stimulus spending in the form of the WPA.
People are right to be concerned about defecits, but historically speaking, the government needs to "prime the pump" during the inevitable economic downturns since consumer spending drops to nil. Consumer and business spending is 2/3 of our GDP, so when this part of our economy drops off, the only spender left is government to keep our economy afloat. We have always grown our way out of the defecits we're incurred once the economy bounces back, and hopefully that will continue to be the case.
Hard for people to truly appreciate how essential this government spending is to prohibit truly catastrophic results. We don't have unemployment rates in the 30 to 50 percent precisely becase the government did act quickly to prime the pump. Perhaps not enough, and that's an ongoing debate, but people do need to understand that this type of emergency spending is not optional, and is the action that returns us to a functioning economy.
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Try again... Roosevelt's recovery plan was coming apart by the time WWII came around and finally pulled us out.
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Even during the Great Depression, unemployment only got up to 25%, not the 30-50% that you're citing.
(Incidentally, my Grandmother lived through the Great Depression -- she was 20 when the Market crashed -- said it "wasn't that great." ....okay, different usages of the word "great.")
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It's a lucky thing for Dave Hunt that he doesn't represent MY district, as he sure as heck wouldn't get my vote, since he clearly doesn't give a fig about the rank and file citizen who is STILL looking for a job after over a year!!!!!
WHAT A COLOSSAL FAILURE OF A PROGRAM!!!!
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Penny,
All of the Speaker's comments have been about getting paychecks in the hands of workers. Exactly how is that "not giving a fig." These were short term construction projects. Are you a construction worker?
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Oh, okay...then WHY did they not tell us that this was solely a CONSTRUCTION STIMULUS program?!?!?!
No, I am not a construction worker. But it still sounds like the politicians are woefully unconcerned about anybody who isn't in a "hard-hat" trade.
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Penny,
I think they basically did. This is from the Governor's press release when the bill was signed:
- Governor Ted Kulongoski today signed into law Senate Bill 338, the “Go Oregon” state stimulus plan. The plan authorizes $175 million in bonding to fund projects that will make needed repairs to schools, colleges, transportation infrastructure and address deferred maintenance projects across the state. The projects will create jobs for Oregonians at a time when the unemployment rate continues to climb.
But I should point out that one thing I don't see in that release — and which Dave Hunt emphasized today was a part of their language from the beginning — is that these jobs would be short term.
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"Penny From Eugene"
The most important thing is to run all Conservatives of every party out of office, remember that they caused this problem with their deregulating and prevention of regulations and oversight!
We need to go back to a regulated economy and regulated banks and financial institutions.
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@Tom: I agree...we need to get the Republicons out of office! Unfortunately, there are too many people who have bought into their snake oil.
@David Miller: That may be, but "Job Stimulus" was the headline that we all heard on OPB and NPR (I listen to KLCC and JPR as well), and the story was not explored in depth at the time.
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Picking nits about the number and kind of jobs is just missing the point, the idea is to get money flowing through the economy again and as rapidly as possible.
You could fly helicopters over towns and cities and just drop ones, fives, tens, and twenties, and get the same effect. People will pick up those bills and spend them and the economy will get going.
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Just don't drop turkeys!
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The more they print and drop the less value any of it has. It won't be long before the Chinese stop buying our Treasury notes.
Then they'll bring that $ 2 trillion back here and buy up every profitable asset we have left. All we have to do to guarantee that is to continue irritating them by treating that international leech, the Dahli Lama with undue respect, and continue selling weapons to Taiwan.
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Hi, I am 1 or 2 steps removed from a direct connect to the stimulus program. I sell promotional advertising products. My sales for January & February 2010 are down 12% from 2009. That has been the trend since 2004. The drop from 2004 to 2010 is 72%.
Many of my customers have closed their doors and many others are not spending any money except for must have items like rent & utillities.
Larry -
Hey Larry. Buy that little patch of farming land. Be sure you have a water source or you're screwed. A milk cow, a couple of pigs, some chickens and a good rifle. Eat deer, raise oats. Plant a small orchard. Might be a good idea to obtain a wife. If you can find one that already owns a cow that's a real plus. Scoop up that one.
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We are a nation in total economic decline. We have given away all our economic advantages, and handed over what remained to the Wall Street thieves. Washington DC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the investment banks. Nothing a single state can do is going to reverse the slow decline.
The wars, the foreign indebtedness, the global military outreach that only serves to drain the economy faster, the refusal to stop immigration all work in a synergistic fashion to hasten our absolute ruin.
Squat on 10 or 15 acres, build a hovel, buy a rifle and a cow, and raise some food. Its over!
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I think it is ridiculous to pay such attention to definitions. For me job is any kind of work which gives continuous profit to a person. I hope that this program will creat new working places . Once I've read a book about governmental help. I got this book at shared files SE http://www.sharedshares.com . If you are interested you may look it through. In most cases all these programs, subsidies to different interests are not beneficial to the country in general. The best thing is to stimulate business by other means.
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Comments are now closed.
I would consider the "Go Oregon" stimulus program to be a complete and utter FAILURE. I am still unemployed after 22 months as no one seems to be willing to hire someone who is over 25. I have applied for just about every type of entry-level job conceivable -- fast food, pump jockey, cart pusher at a grocery store -- and I have had ZERO LUCK.
In light of this (and considering his push to rename Beltline Highway after Randy Pape), I would describe Ted Kulongoski as the WORST GOVERNOR EVER, and contend that he is a textbook example of a DINO (Democrat in Name Only).