When HB 628, the bill authorizing the funding of a $25 million fishing pier in Dare county, passed the House in early April, Representative Tim Spear (D – Washington) claimed the “shovel-ready” project would create 1,800 jobs both on and off site in a region with nearly double digit unemployment. Hard to say “thanks, but no thanks” to, right?
Well, it’s three months later and according to Aquarium Division Director David Griffin there are a grand total of 33 employees working on site (including the Aquarium’s own site manager) with roughly the same number employed off site.
An estimate by the general contractor, Clancy + Theys, highlights that most of the jobs provided by this project are sustained employment through sub-contractors rather than the creation of new positions, with essentially little to no impact on unemployment.
An N & O article from earlier this month also highlights the State’s exceedingly optimistic job creation figures stemming from the Apple incentives deal for the western part of the state.
Although I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised by this misleading math, it’s nothing new from our State leadership.
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