WASHINGTON - Government data show the South and Southwest have benefited most from the first federal contracts awarded as part of President Barack Obama's stimulus program.
Military construction and environmental cleanup contributed to a boost of about 30,000 jobs.
Those jobs are linked to less than $16 billion in federal contracts, just a sliver of the $787 billion stimulus program.
The new job numbers offer the first hard data on effects of the stimulus program and are in line with expectations for such an early accounting.
The White House says the numbers show the administration is on track to hit the president's goal of creating or saving 3.5 million jobs by the end of next year.
On paper, Colorado posted the largest increase of any state. California, Florida, Tennessee and Texas also showed strong gains, while New England fared poorly.
The report says 23,000 new jobs have bee added in Georgia.
Saturday
October 5th, 2024
5:33PM
