Audit: Federal Stimulus Money Funded Existing Programs

Not so stimulating

A newly released audit by the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau again shows the biggest piece of federal stimulus funding going to programs and initiatives that literally have nothing to do with rebuilding the nation's economy. …

In fiscal 2010, the second year of ARRA but the first year of so-called shovel-ready projects funding, Highway Planning and Construction received $313 million compared to $1.7 billion in Unemployment Insurance money, according to the audit bureau. Wisconsin also received $324.7 million that year from a one-time State Fiscal Stabilization Fund program under ARRA, part of a total of $53.6 billion the program pumped out nationally. The vast majority of the money was marked for education. The Badger State also picked up $637.2 million in medical assistance stimulus funding in fiscal 2010.