Rhode Island State House, Providence (photo by Bruce Morin)

RI lawmakers want to speed up public works projects to get the state out of recession.

Do you think this will help solve Rhode Island's financial woes?
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Want to speed up approved public works projects

Updated: Wednesday, 03 Dec 2008, 3:38 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 03 Dec 2008, 3:28 PM EST

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A prominent Rhode Island lawmaker wants to speed up approved public works projects to create jobs in a state hammered by one of the worst unemployment rates in the country .

Rep. Steven Costantino said Wednesday that budget officials have identified hundreds of millions of dollars earmarked for projects that have not started. Rhode Island has approved $570 million in spending on these projects, but state officials have not signed contracts for more than a third of that funding.

Directors in Gov. Donald Carcieri's administration have identified another $351 million in projects that could begin quickly if they had funding.

Rhode Island and Michigan posted a 9.3 percent unemployment rate in October , the worst in the nation. Major job losses have hurt Rhode Island's construction industry.
 

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