Medicaid, Education, Infrastructure Share Most Stimulus Funds

Since February 2009, when Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Kentucky has received $3.4 billion in stimulus funds. So far, 68 percent of the stimulus money has been spent.  That’s the word from the Finance Cabinet’s Greg Haskamp, who briefed lawmakers on the status of stimulus money flowing into the commonwealth.  Haskamp says state and federal entities are keeping close tabs on how the money's spent.  “For instance at the state, we have agency reviews, cabinet reviews, Controller’s Office, the APA, General Assembly.  At the federal level, there’s Inspector Generals, the Office of Management and Budget, the Recovery Board, the White House, Government Accountability Office and also Congress.  So, there’s many people interested in the money and where it’s going,” he said. One-third of Kentucky’s share has gone to Medicaid.  Another third went to education.  The rest has been directed to roads and bridges, health and welfare, the General Fund, water and sewer lines, job training, public safety, energy projects, transit and community development.