Fox Mangles Facts To Attack Nevada Stimulus Grant http://mediamatters.org/research/201108230032 A FoxNews.com article stated that a stimulus grant in Nevada of $490,000 created only 1.72 jobs, but according to the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, only $213,682.77 of the stimulus grant money has been received. Additionally, FoxNews.com's own article explains that the money is helping to pay the salaries of individuals already employed by the Nevada Division of Forestry, as well as a variety of public-works projects. FoxNews.com, Fox & Friends Claim $490,000 Created 1.72 Jobs In NV Project FoxNews.com: "A Federal Stimulus Grant Of Nearly $500,000 To Grow Trees And Stimulate The Economy In Nevada Yielded A Whopping 1.72 Jobs." From the FoxNews.com article: A federal stimulus grant of nearly $500,000 to grow trees and stimulate the economy in Nevada yielded a whopping 1.72 jobs, according to government statistics. In 2009, the U.S. Forest Service awarded $490,000 of stimulus money to Nevada's Clark County Urban Forestry Revitalization Project, aimed at revitalizing urban neighborhoods in the county with trees, plants, and green-industry training. According to Recovery.gov, the U.S. government's official website related to Recovery Act spending, the project created 1.72 permanent jobs. In addition, the Nevada state Division of Forestry reported the federal grant generated one full-time temporary job and 11 short-term project-oriented jobs. It also resulted in the planting of hundreds of trees -- which critics say is about the only good thing that came out of this stimulus project. [FoxNews.com, 8/22/11] Fox & Friends: "One Point Seven Two. That's How Many Permanent Jobs Were Created From $490,000 In Stimulus Money Given To Clark County, Nevada." From Fox & Friends: JULIET HUDDY (guest co-host): Finally, one point seven two. That's how many permanent jobs were created from $490,000 in stimulus money given to Clark County, Nevada. We're talking about one job -- a little over one job. The money was supposed to revitalize neighborhoods by putting people to work planting trees, but, of course, it got caught up in the bureaucracy, and you know what happens. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 8/23/11] Drudge Report Picks Up FoxNews.com Article. From The Drudge Report: 
Hoft Picks Up FoxNews.com Article. From Jim Hoft's blog Gateway Pundit: Is this the hope or the change?
The government spent nearly $500,000 in Obama-Pelosi stimulus cash to create a whopping 1.72 jobs in Nevada. [Gateway Pundit, 8/23/11] In Fact, NV Division Of Forestry Has Received Only $214,000 Of $490,000 Allocated Nevada Division Of Forestry Division Has Received $213,682.77 Of The Grant. According to an email to Media Matters from Bob Conrad, public information officer for the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the "Nevada Division of Forestry has received $213,682.77 for the Clark County ARRA grant." Fox Article Buries The Truth: "The Project Isn't Done" FoxNews.com Reported That Much Of Grant Hasn't Been Received Only In Third- And Fourth-To-Last Paragraphs Of Article. From the FoxNews.com article: Conrad said that only 60 percent of the stimulus money has been used so far and of that amount, 90 to 95 percent of it is already allocated to salaries, sub grants, and other projects. "The project isn't done," said Conrad. [FoxNews.com, 8/22/11] Stimulus Money Is Paying For Existing Jobs And A Variety Of Public-Works Projects FoxNews.com: Funds Are Paying for "Tree Inventories, Salaries For Staff At The Nurseries Through The Nevada Division Of Forestry, Plant Material And Plant Supplies," And "Spanish-Language Training For Hispanics In The Landscaping And Tree Care Industry." The FoxNews.com article states: A Nevada state official has a simple explanation for the low job growth. "If the question is 'was this a job-creating project?' the answer is 'no, it wasn't,'" said Bob Conrad, public information officer for the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. "It was one of a number of projects that we do believe helped improve natural resources in the state." Conrad said the $490,000 is being used for a number of projects. Those projects include tree inventories, salaries for staff at the nurseries through the Nevada Division of Forestry, plant material and plant supplies. "The goal obviously was to make trees available to local government entities, parks, schools, things like that, at our state nursery," said Conrad. "We basically grew and provided about 2,000 trees to these local entities." The grant also funds Spanish-language training for Hispanics in the landscaping and tree care industry to "develop employability skills and increase job retention." [FoxNews.com, 8/22/11, emphasis added] Economists Agree That The Stimulus Increased Employment CBO: Stimulus Has Raised Employment By 1.2 To 3.3 Million. A May 2011 report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that as of the first quarter of 2011, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) lowered the unemployment rate "by between 0.6 percentage points and 1.8 percentage points," compared to what would have happened in the absence of the stimulus. From the report: CBO estimates that ARRA's policies had the following effects in the first quarter of calendar year 2011: - They raised real (inflation-adjusted) gross domestic product (GDP) by between 1.2 and 3.1 percent,
- Lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.6 percentage points and 1.8 percentage points,
- Increased the number of people employed by between 1.2 million and 3.3 million, and
- Increased the number of full-time-equivalent jobs by 1.6 million to 4.6 million compared with what would have occurred otherwise (see Table 1). (Increases in FTE jobs include shifts from part-time to full-time work or overtime and are thus generally larger than increases in the number of employed workers). [Congressional Budget Office, May 2011]
Private Analysts Estimate That Stimulus Increased Employment By 2.4 To 2.5 Million. In its report, the CEA provided the following chart showing that private forecasters estimate that as of the first quarter of 2011, the stimulus increased employment between 2.4 and 2.5 million: 
[White House Council of Economic Advisers, 7/1/11] | 
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