Today’s Daily Record reports that Area stimulus spending picks up as local federal agencies and other governments have been measured in their use of temporary funding bumps. From the article:

Maryland picked up the pace of its stimulus spending in the second quarter of 2010 as the weather warmed and energy projects kicked into gear.

The state spent $636 million in stimulus funds in April, May and June, according to data released Tuesday. State agencies and departments have doled out $2.3 billion, or 55 percent of their total expected $4.2 billion allotment, since Congress approved the $787 billion spending package in February 2009.

Stimulus spending in Maryland controlled by the state and federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health and military bases continued to lag behind most of the rest of the country, but the stronger second-quarter performance improved the state’s standing.

Of the $5.9 billion destined for Maryland, 48.2 percent remained untouched as of June 4, according to Federal Funds Information for States, a research firm that tracks state use of federal dollars. Only nine jurisdictions had more money unspent.

At the end of March, however, Maryland placed above only Hawaii, New York, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.

State spending of stimulus funds, which does not include direct federal investments, totaled $519 million in the first three months of the year.