FROM LES BLUMENTHAL IN D.C.

WASHINGTON - With the vote just hours away, Rep. Norm Dicks just called to talk about the $825 billion stimulus bill and what it will mean for school districts in Pierce County and the South Sound.

According to Dicks, the bill would provide $28.6 million to the Tacoma district for construction and other programs, $12 million for Federal Way, $11.7 million for Clover Park and $7.1 million for Puyallup.

Even the smaller districts will receive funding the congressman called "nothing to sneeze at." University Place will receive $1.9 million, Fife $1.25 million and Steilacoom $962,000.

"These are all pretty impressive," Dicks said.

The money is divided into three categories: construction, additional operating money for low-income "title I" programs and additional operating money for special education programs. All together, it amounts to more than $100 million for local districts over the next two years.

Dicks said the recession represented the "most serious moment for this country economically since the Great Depression.

While Dicks said the stimulus bill will add significantly to the federal deficit, without it the congressman said it would be even worse as federal revenues would continue to decline as the economy reels.

Below are the two-year totals for local school districts.

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AUBURN	        $6,387,600
BETHEL	        $8,245,300
CARBONADO	   $41,400
CLOVER PARK    $11,725,500
DIERINGER	  $387,500
EATONVILLE	  $779,600
ENUMCLAW	$1,841,300
FEDERAL WAY    $12,228,100
FIFE	        $1,252,700
FRANKLIN PIERCE	$4,849,200
NORTH THURSTON	$6,260,500
ORTING	          $643,300
PENINSULA 	$3,393,600
PUYALLUP	$7,108,400
STEILACOOM	  $962,000
SUMNER	        $2,431,200
TACOMA	       $28,669,000
U. Place        $1,982,400
VASHON ISLAND	  $585,800
WHITE RIVER	$1,711,200
YELM	        $2,652,800
TOTAL	      $104,138,400