Stimulus reports, reviews, maps 

New GAO report

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report evaluating the stimulus, “Planned Efforts and Challenges in Evaluating Compliance with Maintenance of Effort and Similar Provisions.”  The report evaluated eight stimulus programs that contain maintenance of effort or similar provisions that require recipients “maintain certain levels of spending for selected programs… to ensure that the increased federal spending will supplement rather than replace state, local, or private spending,” according to the report.  Problems that still need to be addressed for maintenance of effort and similar provisions to be successful are detailed in the full report.  Many federal and state officials have yet to complete key steps in the implementation of these provisions, according to the GAO.  

Year end review, new map feature from Illinois

Economic indicators for the year were posted on Illinois’ Recovery site.  One major highlight is that Illinois lost fewer jobs, at a slower rate, as the year progressed.  As of December 31, 2009, the state expended approximately $1.55 billion in stimulus funding, which is 34 percent of the total amount awarded to Illinois. 

The state also updated its interactive map, which now includes pinpoint mapping of all the stimulus projects in Illinois for the overall stimulus and by category (education, health and human services, etc.).