More than $827 million in stimulus money spent in Washington

OLYMPIA — Transportation projects across Washington state are the most visible indication of more than $827 million in federal stimulus money that has been spent in the state so far this year.

But more significant is the money still working its way through the economy, said Jill Satran, Gov. Chris Gregoire's main adviser on stimulus projects.

"It has made a huge impact on Washington state in light of the budget situation that we have," she said, in reference to the Democrat-controlled Legislature's use of stimulus money to help patch a $9 billion deficit. "It has allowed us to provide services and to keep teachers employed, and all of those kind of things well beyond what we would have had the stimulus money not been available."

But beyond helping ease the state's budget woes, the money is pegged for various projects ranging from public security and emergency preparedness to education and water quality protection.

The state is readying for August deadlines to compete for stimulus money on broadband high-speed rail projects.

"It's all going to be pretty exciting stuff," Satran said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday.

Altogether, the state is to receive more than $4 billion in stimulus money. Another $2 billion is tagged for cleanup at south-central Washington's Hanford nuclear reservation, and local governments are set to receive more than $1 billion.

The first money to arrive in the state was $200 million in March, to match money spent for Medicaid services to low-income people. Unemployed workers have also seen a $25-a-week increase in their weekly benefit under the federal stimulus, on top of a state increase that was passed during the last legislative session. So far, more than $365 million in stimulus money has been allocated for road projects.

Satran said that while there's a good amount of money still to be awarded, what's been accomplished so far is significant.

"We talk about it here a little bit in terms of building the plane as we fly it, both us and the feds," she said. "Four-and-a-half months may sound like a fair amount of time to folks, but in order to be able to move this kind of money out into the economy in an accountable and transparent and thoughtful way, four-and-a-half months is not a lot of time."

Satran said that by the end of the year, they'll know where the "vast majority" of the money will be going, and that most of it will be spent in the 18 months to two years, with some projects having a longer time frame.

The first report to the federal government on the state's progress is due in October.

Track stimulus money in Washington state: http://www.recovery.wa.gov