Last week, Maryland, Illinois and Connecticut all announced new job creation as well as jobs saved in their states through a combination of funding, training and incentive programs.
Maryland was able to create and save a total of 13,821 jobs through the use of its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. As of March 31, 2010, Maryland has expended $612,651,363 of the $2.19 billion awarded to the state through ARRA thus far for job savings and creation activities under section 1512 of the Act. In addition to 1512 funding, Maryland received $196 million in federal Medicaid matching funds and $39 million in Family Safety Net programs leading to increases in TANF, adoption, child support, and food stamp assistance.
Maryland offers a full breakdown of how and where jobs were created or saved through its Recovery Act website StateStat.
Illinois announced a new program – “Put Illinois to Work” (PIW). The program is set up through 577 employers across the state, who have agreed to hire more than 3,886 workers for the first phase of the PIW program. PIW will allow state residents to be placed in subsidized employment positions at one of the 577 employers for up to six months, while they learn new skills.
The state estimates that over the life of the program 15,000 jobs will be created statewide, with the hope that many of these subsidized employees will find permanent employment at the end of the six month trial. The state is actively looking for additional employer participants in the program and has created a website highlighting both opportunities and requirements.
Connecticut also passed a sweeping jobs bill designed to create new areas of employment as well as hiring incentives across the state. Some of the bigger plans in the bill include – up to $500,000 in loans and lines of credit for small businesses; tax credits and exemptions for income, machinery purchases, insurance, and fuel; and up to $150,000 in pre-seed financing and technical services to businesses developing innovative concepts.
The state will also be establishing new education and training initiatives through the bill.
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