$111mil = 55 jobs LOL

[SadisticMonkey]

Source

The Los Angeles City Controller said on Thursday the city's use of its share of the $800 billion federal stimulus fund has been disappointing.

The city received $111 million in stimulus under American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) approved by the Congress more than year ago.
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"I'm disappointed that we've only created or retained 55 jobs after receiving $111 million," says Wendy Greuel, the city's controller, while releasing an audit report.

"With our local unemployment rate over 12% we need to do a better job cutting red tape and putting Angelenos back to work," she added.

According to the report, the Los Angeles Department of Public Works generated only 45.46 jobs (the fraction of a job created or retained correlates to the number of actual hours of work) after receiving $70.65 million, while the target was 238 jobs.
Similarly, the city's department of transportation, armed with a $40.8 million fund, created only 9 jobs in place of an expected 26 jobs.

The audit says the numbers were disappointing due to bureaucratic red tape, absence of competitive bidding for projects in private sectors, inappropriate tracking of stimulus money and a laxity in bringing out timely job reports.

If this doesn't highlight the futility and sheer wastefulness of government "job creation"...

[Warforger]

Ah yes, an isolated case for a city that generally is notorious for its crime and poverty.

Nevermind those cases where governments creates more jobs which is nearly everywhere.

[aviewaskewed]

At 9/19/10 01:05 AM, Warforger wrote: Nevermind those cases where governments creates more jobs which is nearly everywhere.

You know what would help? Naming them.

Because I've heard the case SadisticMonkey mentioned (ironically on the pundit the right loves to hate, Bill Maher). So maybe it'd be good to link to something that shows the stimulus working?

[Hancack]

This is sad. I feel as if a more Socialist-Capitalist Hybrid economy would work more and I don't mean like the one we have now I mean like with more extreme.

[Camarohusky]

I wonder how many current jobs were saved with the money?

Also, this just goes to show what happens to poorly earmarked money.

[SadisticMonkey]

At 9/19/10 08:21 PM, Camarohusky wrote: I wonder how many current jobs were saved with the money?

Also, this just goes to show what happens to poorly earmarked money.

"I'm disappointed that we've only created or retained 55 jobs after receiving $111 million," says Wendy Greuel, the city's controller, while releasing an audit report.

[studmuffin7]

At 9/19/10 01:37 AM, aviewaskewed wrote:

At 9/19/10 01:05 AM, Warforger wrote: Nevermind those cases where governments creates more jobs which is nearly everywhere.

You know what would help? Naming them.

Because I've heard the case SadisticMonkey mentioned (ironically on the pundit the right loves to hate, Bill Maher). So maybe it'd be good to link to something that shows the stimulus working?

He can't because examples like that don't exist. The stimulus the republicans desperately tried to stop was a complete failure. It succeeded only in putting us in debt that much more. And to think, people ridicule the republicans for constantly saying "no" to things like this.

[Camarohusky]

At 10/1/10 02:08 PM, studmuffin7 wrote: He can't because examples like that don't exist. The stimulus the republicans desperately tried to stop was a complete failure. It succeeded only in putting us in debt that much more. And to think, people ridicule the republicans for constantly saying "no" to things like this.

Yeah, who needs a new lane on I-5? Who needs the ruts on old highways to be fixed....

Do you know why there are no stories of stimulus success? because when the government does right it isn't news. I drive on stimulus success twice a week. 90K-100K others drive over that same stretch of success every week. Whenever I travel north, 110ish miles of the 170 mile trip is a success story. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of trips on that success story are made each year. Extra lanes means extra commerce on one of the busiest rural stretches of Interstate in the nation. That's on TWO of the successes, and they're only in a very small corner of the country.

[studmuffin7]

At 10/1/10 02:35 PM, Camarohusky wrote:

At 10/1/10 02:08 PM, studmuffin7 wrote: He can't because examples like that don't exist. The stimulus the republicans desperately tried to stop was a complete failure. It succeeded only in putting us in debt that much more. And to think, people ridicule the republicans for constantly saying "no" to things like this.

Yeah, who needs a new lane on I-5? Who needs the ruts on old highways to be fixed....

1) I am not opposed to taxes for the sake of infrastructure. The very fact that dems like you have to keep making up this nonexistant argument is proof itself you have little else to argue with.

2) Even if you were to cut taxes in half across the board, we would STILL have enough for infrastructure, police, fire department, education, and military IF we cut everything else (social programs, foreign aid to countries that spit at us, etc...).

Do you know why there are no stories of stimulus success? because when the government does right it isn't news. I drive on stimulus success twice a week. 90K-100K others drive over that same stretch of success every week. Whenever I travel north, 110ish miles of the 170 mile trip is a success story. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of trips on that success story are made each year. Extra lanes means extra commerce on one of the busiest rural stretches of Interstate in the nation. That's on TWO of the successes, and they're only in a very small corner of the country.

When I think about whether or not the stimulus succeeded I don't think about some obscure road I"ve never heard of, I think about JOBS. The UNEMPLOYMENT problem is why the stimulus legislation began so quickly into the Obama administration in the first place. That was the whole goal of it. And guess what? Despite the massive increase in our national debt caused by that stimulus bill alone, we have no improvement whatsoever with Americans losing jobs. Hell, companies like GM are on the order of 60% owned by stimulus money and are unrepentantly using that money to create jobs in MEXICO. Then there is the famous AIG fiasco etc... etc... Bottom line: we spent out the ass for stimulus legislation because we didn't have enough republicans to stop it. And we got no tangible benefit because of it. Well... aside from your road. I'm sure the millions of jobless Americans in the country are really excited about those extra lanes.

[Camarohusky]

At 10/1/10 03:15 PM, studmuffin7 wrote: 1) I am not opposed to taxes for the sake of infrastructure. The very fact that dems like you have to keep making up this nonexistant argument is proof itself you have little else to argue with.

Ah yes, cause these lanes just popped out of nowhere. It took a large amount of workers to build these lanes, most of them transferring from the stagnant construction industry. The economy just could not recover fast enough to give these workers a stable job to land in when the roads were done.

2) Even if you were to cut taxes in half across the board, we would STILL have enough for infrastructure, police, fire department, education, and military IF we cut everything else (social programs, foreign aid to countries that spit at us, etc...).

Don't discount the value of a lot of what you dislike. 9/11 was the result of an unstable country. If we can spend some money to keep the cause of events like tha from happeneing, it's worth it. I do agree, there is a great deal of bloated spending, but don't just think that you can wipe a huge number of programs off of the sheet without major side effects.

When I think about whether or not the stimulus succeeded I don't think about some obscure road I"ve never heard of, I think about JOBS. The UNEMPLOYMENT problem is why the stimulus legislation began so quickly into the Obama administration in the first place. That was the whole goal of it. And guess what? Despite the massive increase in our national debt caused by that stimulus bill alone, we have no improvement whatsoever with Americans losing jobs.

Because the rut in the economy outlasted even what that pure amount of spending could hold. Part of the reason numbers haven't got any better is because stimulus and temproary work funded the government has ended, thus putting those formerly employed back in the unemployed pile.

Hell, companies like GM are on the order of 60% owned by stimulus money and are unrepentantly using that money to create jobs in MEXICO. Then there is the famous AIG fiasco etc... etc...

GM did the right, but at the wrong time. GM should have sent their workers abroad well over a decade ago, like the Japanese and European automakers did. Guess what the Japanese and Euro auto makers are doing? They have realized that 3rd world workers make 3rd rate products, and are now moving back to developed countries, including the US. GM will figure this out in time and the jobs will come rolling back. had they done it ten years ago, they would be opening plants in Arkansas, not Jalisco.

Bottom line: we spent out the ass for stimulus legislation because we didn't have enough republicans to stop it. And we got no tangible benefit because of it. Well... aside from your road.

No tangible benefit is why all but two or three states (including Bobby "Less government, but Obama isn't doing enough for the oil spill" Jindal's) were gobbling up the $ like it was candy. Take what I was talking about and add spread it around to the rest of the country. The corridor I was talking about is a very heavily trafficked trucking route to a major port. Adding an extra lane can open up traffic saving up to 1 hour PER DIRECTION PER TRUCK. Imagine how much extra business 200,000 hours of saved time will create, just for one route. I used to work in the shipping industry and, trust me, time IS money.

I'm sure the millions of jobless Americans in the country are really excited about those extra lanes.

They were when they were being paid to build them. Now if only the economy would catch up, we will all benefit from the increased capacity for business on these new lanes.

The stimulus was not fundamentally flawed, the economy just did not recover in time to catch those who had temporary jobs based on it.

[gumOnShoe]

At 9/19/10 01:37 AM, aviewaskewed wrote:

At 9/19/10 01:05 AM, Warforger wrote: Nevermind those cases where governments creates more jobs which is nearly everywhere.

You know what would help? Naming them.

Because I've heard the case SadisticMonkey mentioned (ironically on the pundit the right loves to hate, Bill Maher). So maybe it'd be good to link to something that shows the stimulus working?

Yo, start clicking states.

Also, fact check on general claims that jobs haven't been created

Anyhow, what sadistic brought up is misleading. See here.

Essentially. 111 million was designated for the projects, but they didn't hire as many people as they expected to. They also didn't spend the 111 million in full. So, essentially, the jobs didn't cost 2 mil a piece. Its funny how that works, when you don't know everything and take things at face value.

[gumOnShoe]

Also, I think Sadistic owes us an apology for, if not lying to us all, not doing an adequate amount of research.

[Memorize]

Right.

Because $500k a job is great, huh?

Gumshoe being a libertarian, my ass.

[gumOnShoe]

At 10/1/10 11:12 PM, Memorize wrote: Right.

Because $500k a job is great, huh?

Gumshoe being a libertarian, my ass.

These are construction jobs. The duration is not specified as days, weeks, months, or years, nor is the amount of money spent on materials so that these people can work. STFU, you have no case.

[SadisticMonkey]

At 10/1/10 06:01 PM, gumOnShoe wrote: Essentially. 111 million was designated for the projects, but they didn't hire as many people as they expected to. They also didn't spend the 111 million in full. So, essentially, the jobs didn't cost 2 mil a piece. Its funny how that works, when you don't know everything and take things at face value.

55 jobs

[gumOnShoe]

At 10/2/10 08:40 AM, SadisticMonkey wrote:

At 10/1/10 06:01 PM, gumOnShoe wrote: Essentially. 111 million was designated for the projects, but they didn't hire as many people as they expected to. They also didn't spend the 111 million in full. So, essentially, the jobs didn't cost 2 mil a piece. Its funny how that works, when you don't know everything and take things at face value.

55 jobs

Congrats, you can count, but you can't read... for instance the post directly above the one you wrote.

[X-Gary-Gigax-X]

rrreow

[Musician]

Some facts from that link, for those of you too lazy to read:

- L.A. controller: Two L.A. departments have thus far "created or retained 54.46 jobs" from "$111 million in federal stimulus funds" but expects to create 264.14 jobs total
- LADOT spent has only spent $1.8 million of its $40.8 million; expects to create 26 jobs total.
- L.A.'s DPW has only spent $5.24 million of its $70.65 million; expects to create 238.14 jobs total
- LADOT did not include jobs that were created on "contracted out" projects.

Thank you for clarifying that GumOnShoe. I am very interested to hearing SadisticMonkey's response and/or apology

[Spackled]

At 10/2/10 06:01 PM, X-Gary-Gigax-X wrote: rrreow

Exactly! Of all the posts in this thread, this is the most thought out, intelligent one! You win the thread!!!

[X-Gary-Gigax-X]

At 10/2/10 10:07 PM, Spackled wrote:

At 10/2/10 06:01 PM, X-Gary-Gigax-X wrote: rrreow

Exactly! Of all the posts in this thread, this is the most thought out, intelligent one! You win the thread!!!

Just never seen Gum lose his cool =P He starts talking in this confusing word salad jargon when he gets passionate about something. Stick to Lamen's terms, man. I mean, we're all Lamens here. Except for Rhydia.

[Memorize]

At 10/2/10 08:27 AM, gumOnShoe wrote:

These are construction jobs. The duration is not specified as days, weeks, months, or years, nor is the amount of money spent on materials so that these people can work. STFU, you have no case.

And when the money runs out?

Oh right... pass another stimulus...

Wonderful full circle you got going there.

[Tony-DarkGrave]

once again obama has wasted tons of money what he could have done with that money was make jobs securing our border by making a wall and adding more security patrols. see this is why I don't vote democrat.

[SadisticMonkey]

At 10/2/10 07:41 PM, Musician wrote: - L.A. controller: Two L.A. departments have thus far "created or retained 54.46 jobs" from "$111 million in federal stimulus funds" but expects to create 264.14 jobs total

because over $400 grand for a temporary job is something to be proud of?

great news everyone, we can completely get rid of unemployment (temporarily)!

We just have to spend 11 trillion dollars!

Ah, sound economics. Because the only reason people are unemployed is because the government isn't spending enough money.

[gumOnShoe]

At 10/2/10 10:12 PM, X-Gary-Gigax-X wrote: Just never seen Gum lose his cool =P He starts talking in this confusing word salad jargon when he gets passionate about something. Stick to Lamen's terms, man. I mean, we're all Lamens here. Except for Rhydia.

.... word salad? What part of what I said seemed jumbled together and thrown in a bowl? Also, wasn't exactly using GRE vocab here.

At 10/3/10 03:06 AM, Memorize wrote: And when the money runs out?

Oh right... pass another stimulus...

Probably not. Probably should pass one more just to be safe, but we won't because the political environment is to toxic to allow it. Oppositionalists will shut down any future programs before they can make it to a vote, unless the economy tanks again.

As for temporary, that's generally the point. If you have any faith in the market, it should eventually begin to upswing, and at that point the stimulus would no longer be necessary. Anyhow, there are plenty examples in China of how government intervention works. They are, after all, directly financing products, recovering, and quickly coming up on our tail on #1 economy in the world. We can wait 20 years for them to prove the point though... I don't need to have the argument now. And I probably wouldn't choose to have it with you either.

At 10/3/10 06:08 AM, SadisticMonkey wrote:

At 10/2/10 07:41 PM, Musician wrote:

because over $400 grand for a temporary job is something to be proud of?

You're still doing your math wrong. These are CONSTRUCTION (big word, sorry Gary) jobs. You also have to buy SUPPLIES. The money has NOT been completely ALLOCATED.

great news everyone, we can completely get rid of unemployment (temporarily)!

Tell the worker's families you'd rather have them unemployed completely.

We just have to spend 11 trillion dollars!

Your ass has learned how to generate numbers. My god man! Start selling those products!

Ah, sound economics. Because the only reason people are unemployed is because the government isn't spending enough money.

... not true at all, but the government does have the power to help them through these hard times.

And anyhow, I can't find a listing of exactly what these project's goals are. Find that out and you'll probably find out why they cost so much, and we might be able to determine whether there will be some sort of lasting benefit to LA buy having done the work.

For instance, suppose this is a highway project where they add an extra lane. You'd increase the efficiency of your work force; the newly paved roads would improve fuel mileage; and if the road was in bad shape, fixing it would probably reduce some of the wear and tear on vehicles on the road, bringing again more savings to all. Something like that might actually pay for itself in the end, so it really depends on what the project is for, which again I'm noticing is lacking from this entire topic.

[X-Gary-Gigax-X]

alright let me tell you guys about my boners real quick....

[X-Gary-Gigax-X]

When I was in 4th grade my mom made me these homemade jeans and you could wear them front and back, so ofcourse I'd always split, like, right down the center seam during soccer at recess. So then I had to go inside for language arts and while we were sitting indian style for story time, the teacher wouldn't put one leg over the other so I could see up her skirt and I would always get these hardest fucking rockhard boners but I had to hide it the whole time. So I had to find a fan or something to cool me off while everyone's getting back to their desks, ugh, 4th grade sucked

[Spackled]

Awesome story, Gary! Got any more?

[DoctorStrongbad]

At 10/3/10 03:15 AM, Tony-DarkGrave wrote: once again obama has wasted tons of money what he could have done with that money was make jobs securing our border by making a wall and adding more security patrols. see this is why I don't vote democrat.

I agree that Obama has wasted money while President. It would be nice to have a wall to protect our borders. Democrats okay sometimes, but Obama is lacking. Therefore, Obama is full of fail.