Just who is getting the billions in stimulus money? Community groups similar to ACORN, that’s who. From an article on problems implementing the weatherization program in Washington State:
All of that added up to major confusion for the 25 community action agencies that carry out weatherization programs throughout the state, said Sherry Martin, program coordinator for Pierce County’s weatherization assistance program. It took the Pierce County program until mid-November to figure out how to compare the differing wage requirements and choose between them, Martin said.
“There are two sets of rules, and they have very different reporting requirements,” Martin said.
Pierce County’s weatherization program, which assists low-income residents in unincorporated areas, has yet to complete any stimulus-funded weatherization work, though it had 190 units audited and ready to go last week. It was awarding its first contracts Monday, Martin said, and hopes to complete work on its first round of homes sometime in January.
The Metropolitan Development Council, which administers the weatherization program within the Tacoma city limits, is in a similar situation, said Samphas Phok, the agency’s weatherization director. The organization has 105 units in progress right now, but has yet to complete work on any of them, Phok said. Leaders there also hope to have their first units completed by next month.
“It’s frustrating,” Phok said. “We’re pushing so hard.”
Both local groups say they’ve sorted out the wage classification issues and now are ready to get the work done.
ACORN participates in weatherization projects. Have they or will they receive any taxpayer money? Inquiring minds want to know.