R.I. slow to spend millions in stimulus

Rhode Island was among five states that had not started spending their weatherization funding money by late September, according to an analysis of federal records by the National Association for State Community Services Programs.

Jeanne Gattegno, president of Westbay Community Action, a charitable agency that helps Kent County residents become self-sufficient, attributed the delays to complex rules governing the stimulus program and state officials trying to cope with a sudden influx of cash.

“We were surprised it took this long, but it’s here now at last,’’ Gattegno said.

While other states also have struggled to start spending, the need for work is particularly desperate in Rhode Island, where unemployment stood at 12.9 percent last month. A $20 million spending program would offer relief to at least some workers, said Leonard Lardaro, an economist at the University of Rhode Island.

“It’s always better sooner rather than later assuming that you’re not just throwing the money away,’’ he said.

The stimulus bill enacted in February gives states about $5 billion to seal homes against the cold. Workers can apply weather strips to old doors, fix old heaters and boilers, and inject modern insulation into lofty attics and drafty walls.

Rhode Island desperately needs the help. Economists expect a deep recession to push unemployment in the state to nearly 14 percent next year, and the job losses have been devastating for workers in construction and the building trades.

Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, said he was frustrated by the slow spending, especially since he said his constituents are worried about losing their jobs and providing for their families.

“The number one problem is jobs,’’ Reed said. “This money was designed to get people working as quickly as possible. That could have put some people to work.’’

Among those hoping for a job in energy conservation is Christopher Harrell, who moved to Rhode Island last year. After months of searching, the 35-year-old found a job in sales engineering before getting laid off in July.