RI slow to spend $20M in stimulus funding to insulate homes, governor faults recovery program

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RI slow to spend $20 million in stimulus funding

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The administration of Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri (kuh-CHEHR’-ee) has failed for months to spend $20 million meant to insulate poor people’s homes against the winter chill and put unemployed people to work during one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression.

The Republican governor denounces President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan as ineffective in creating jobs even though the state isn’t spending all the money it’s been given. Half the funding had arrived by July, but state officials say it will only start flowing this week to agencies ready to spend it.

Laid-off worker Christopher Harrell says he’s in class studying how to make homes more energy efficient after getting laid off from a previous job.

Companies such as Greenwich Insulation Inc. say they’re resisting hiring more workers until the stimulus money starts flowing.