i've asked this a bunch of times, but no one has ever been able to answer it
just HOW does one quantify a "saved job"?
Exactly. I'm in a unique position where I'm actually growing a department despite the economy. I need 21 highly skilled regulatory/quality engineers and managers within the next 8-10 weeks, and half of them could have started two weeks ago. That doesn't include potential staffing on multiple long-term proposals (2-3 years) that are currently awaiting PO's and have yet to be assigned a resource curve.
Are any of these "saved jobs"? Absolutely not. They were created by making a determined effort to grow a business and to work contacts in the field who have business needs/requirements. There is zero connection to stimulus dollars. But I can promise you that in my region, every new hire within my organization will show up on some stat chart or other to prove that the stimulus bill is working.
I'm working on another initiative that we decided to pursue
after the stimulus bill was passed, but that as yet to evolve into even a single dime of revenue or new hires. Our business development team - who are very practical and are therefore against government intervention in business - decided that once the stimulus bill was passed, it would be foolish to simply remain angry about it and not try to use some of the funding to grow new jobs. We're workoing with several funded organizations to develop new industries out of companies who are facing bankruptcy and lay-offs if they can't emerge into new markets.
Over the last 5 months since we began, every dime we've spent on the initiative has come from our own pockets, including hiring expert industry leadership who can assist in guiding target companies into new business fields. But so far, we're finding that in order for companies to get funded to make a transition, most of them need to put up 50% of the cost. Those that are interested in funding can't afford that 50% because they're already failing. And those who aren't failing aren't interested in making a transition.
So... there may be funding dollars going into short term infrastructure projects like transportation and utilities, but those don't grow the economy, although infrastructure is certainly vital. But the funding programs that I've worked with to help existing businesses include a caveat that forces companies who are already at the brink of failure to close shop or look for other alternatives - they can't match the funding dollars.
I'm watching a company right now who needs my help and is currently down from 300 employees 18 months ago to a skeleton crew of 25. They've applied for every type of funding to help transition their business into new industries (they have an awesome manufacturing capacity in metals) and they're prepared to do what it takes to make it work, but stimulus dollars are sitting unused while his emplyees go on unemployment because he doesn't have the 50% needed to get stimulus dollars.
To me, the reality of the funding program is that it's purpose isn't really to create jobs. It's nothing more than a PR stunt by the finance corporations who control our federal government. The dollars that could REALLY go into helping companies and into keeping our economy moving are languishing while the businesses that need them are failing. I'm watching it on a daily basis, and I'm meeting with the folks who are struggling to access the funds in order to keep their doors open and keep their employees fed. In reality, the funding program was just another excuse to hit us while we're down, and justify taking even more of our tax dollars for a program that will have to be repaid at interest.
The only beneficiary is the banks who have taken control of our government, who earn that interest from our remaining paychecks. Shame on them, and on the White House and Congress who take care of them.
but our inventory taxes will not affect the bottom line, that's if they ever find the bottom......
