California and the stimulus

This is a preliminary look at how the ARRA funds were spent in California. So far, of $30 billion in ARRA funds awarded to California, $17 billion has been spent. CalWatch

California has 53 districts out of 435, or 12%.

Something is wrong with the numbers.

OK, figured it out. Only $200 billion went to state government, the rest spent through fed channels, I presume.

Consider this spending:

* $2.5 billion for the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Only federal largess is keeping this massive boondoggle alive. Cost estimates have soared from $45 billion to as much as $213 billion today. That’s more than double what even the opponents of the train estimated in their opposition statements in the ballot pamphlet for Proposition 1A, which authorized the train and which voters approved in 2008.

California is not building a Choo Choo, John Lockyer is getting awful damn tired of Choo Choo plans. So this money is wasted.