Lincoln officials say the Trillion dollar federal stimulus package has created jobs in the Capital City.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the federal stimulus, promised to boost the economy in several ways including job creation. Not surprising, some of this money is slow getting to work, both because of the stimulus bill's enormous size of and because there are many rules and regulations for transparency in using the money.

But as of June, Lincoln is starting to see the money creating jobs.

"There are already dozens of people being employed by the stimulus money," said Milo Mumgaard, senior policy aide to Mayor Beutler.

With millions of stimulus dollars rolling into Lincoln, Mumgaard is in charge of coordinating how it's spent.

"What we're doing here is creating jobs for people who need them... creating new jobs," said Mumgaard.

Already, a $408,000 program called Summerworks is employing roughly 130 low income people, ages 14 to 24. They work for the city in public works type jobs or for private non-profit organizations. The program will eventually employ 200.

"That's 200 kids that will have a job that otherwise probably wouldn't have a job," said Urban Development Program Manager Dan Cain. "They'll probably earn $1,500 to $2,000 over the summer. Some of them will use it for clothes, going back to school, personal items. Some we've heard will be helping the family with food and rent. There's some pretty tough times out there."

That's the case for program participant Markham Jones, Jr.

"Help out around with the bills and get some extra cash," said Jones.

Cain said the program is important because young person jobs are the first to go in a down economy with more qualified adults needing work.

"They're taking jobs that maybe in past years a kid would have taken," said Cain.

Cain says 200 kids will work for the nearly half a million dollars in stimulus money, most of which will be pumped into local businesses.

"We're pretty sure if you put money in these kids' pockets, they'll spend it. And of course our economy requires a pretty good chunk of consumer spending to get things going," said Cain.

Cain also said Lincoln used to have a program like this 10 years ago, but funding was cut. The youth in this program will make $7.25 an hour. While Cain said that's good, he also said he's surprised the stimulus didn't create an equal program for adults.

However, Mumgaard said stimulus funding will create hundreds of adult jobs when the city jumps all the transparency hurdles. For example, road funding will take until 2010 to approve federally.