Govt. Agencies Refusing to Provide Accurate Data on Cost of ‘Stimulus’ Signs

Patrick Richardson

9/16/2010

Even though over 40 percent of people who had “actionable complaints” about the use of stimulus money referenced the “recovery” signs, government agencies refuse to provide accurate information about the cost of the signage. This according to a letter sent by Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Aaron Schock (R-IL) to Earl Devaney, the head of the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board.

Three months ago, Issa sent a letter requesting an investigation into the signs — asking if the signs were required and what the total cost was. While the various inspectors general found that in most cases the signs were not required, they were encouraged in such a way as to make the distinction meaningless.

Six agencies — the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Environmental Protection Agency — were asked to provide hard data on the cost of the signage. Most of the agencies surveyed did not provide the methods they used to come up with their “total cost assessments,” and yet certified the results as accurate anyway.

In one case, according to the latest letter sent to Devaney, EPA flatly refused to comply with the request and then directed Devaney to an estimate formed by sampling just nine projects out of a group of more than 4,000.

And now… the rest of the story. …..