Senator Defrancisco Calls for More Oversight of Federal Stimulus Funds

Senator John A. DeFrancisco (R-I-C, Syracuse) today renewed his call for better accounting of how Albany is using federal stimulus aid to help revitalize the Upstate economy. The Senator’s comments followed news reports that $120,000 of federal stimulus money is being used to fund a project to reprint 20-year-old pamphlets —without creating a single job. 

 
“Stimulus money is supposed to be used to jumpstart our sluggish economy and get Americans back to work,” said Senator DeFrancisco. “But this latest revelation shows the danger of a program with far too many dollars and far too little oversight.”
Today, The Post-Standard reported that $120,000 of stimulus funds are being used to reprint a brochure, first created in 1989, which touts Onondaga Lake.

“Onondaga Lake is a central part of our community and a valuable part of our effort to increase tourism, recreation and industry in Central New York,” said Senator DeFrancisco. “But it’s hard to see how reprinting a 20-year-old brochure is going to help us attain our goals, create new employment opportunities or have a longstanding impact on our economic resurgence.”

Senator DeFrancisco said Albany needs to provide more detail on its use of the more than $20 billion in funding that the state is receiving, much of which has already been spent filling holes in the state budget.
“Instead of creating the jobs that Upstate needs right now, Albany is pouring money into New York City, the bloated state budget, and just about anywhere else than where it is needed most,” concluded Senator DeFrancisco.