Millions in stimulus could come to area

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Tippecanoe County has the possibility of receiving millions of dollars in funding through the Jobs for Main Street Act, currently in Congress.

Area Plan Commission Executive Director Sallie Fahey said the passage of the bill would require the Indiana State Department of Transportation to work more rapidly.

"The biggest change for us locally is that not only will projects under this bill would have to move forward at a pretty quick pace, but they will actually have to be under contract, which means the contractors will have to be selected through the INDOT bidding process and be ready for construction. That's a very quick turn around," said Fahey.

Fahey said if the money is not spent in 90 days, it would go back into a national fund for redistribution.

"50% of the money would have to be under contract in 90 days. So we, local communities, have promised INDOT that we would help them spend that 50%. Now we will, like with the ARRA funds, have a local targeted amount that we can decide how to spend locally and with luck it would be similar to ARRA which was about $4.1 million," said Fahey.

Fahey said with the 90 days mandate, there's little time to plan new projects.

"That means we really have to take projects that are ready to go to contract. There's no time to design a project or make sure all the environmental requirements are met," said Fahey.

Fahey said those millions of dollars can go towards things like road projects, transit, and airports. She said jobs could also be created.

"If transit is buying new buses, that means jobs in a factory where buses are being made or parts or whatever they're doing. Under the ARRA funds the Purdue Airport got money to help them put up a better fence around part of the airport so there are trickle down jobs, some in manufacturing," said Fahey.

Fahey adds it's hard to tell if the bill would be passed. She said it looks like Congress might be setting the healthcare bill aside to focus on the jobs bill.

"If that's the case, we might be seeing something could be in place by early March," said Fahey.