As President Barack Obama today signed into law the federal stimulus bill, we are preparing to receive those funds and I am determined to put that money to use as quickly and as effectively as possible.
To aid the effort, I am creating the Office of Economic Recovery & Investment which will coordinate and track North Carolina’s handling of the stimulus funds. I am also naming Dempsey Benton to head this office.
Dempsey is a well respected manager and civic leader. He is a former Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and was the City Manager of Raleigh for 17 years. Dempsey’s service at DHHS is particularly notable for his efforts to restore stability and organization to the department and his leadership of the troubled state mental health system.
The federal stimulus package provides about $6.1 billion in direct aid to North Carolina, with other money coming in the form of grants, tax cuts and other funding. That will create jobs and help rebuild and expand the state’s critical infrastructure at the same time.
I will ensure strict accountability in how the money is spent. Dempsey Benton will lead this temporary office, and will be assisted by my staff, as well as designated representatives from various state agencies.
The Governor’s Economic Recovery and Investment Office will have the following duties:
• Track all federal dollars flowing into state and local governments as well as to private businesses and non-profit organizations.
• Maximize the state’s use of available federal stimulus funds.
• Identify the most rapid ways to move the stimulus money into the economy and remove regulatory and other impediments.
• Establish open and effective lines of communication with federal and state agencies, local governments and North Carolina’s Congressional delegation to assist in efforts to effectively and rapidly use the federal stimulus funds.
• Develop a communications network, using a variety of tools including the Internet, to keep the public informed about the status and progress of the recovery effort, along with funding opportunities.
• Report to the General Assembly and the citizens on a regular basis about the status of the use of the stimulus funds, including federal, state and other non-federal money.
• Measure progress of the recovery effort by tracking the state’s economic condition.