National political leaders are arguing about whether the $159 billion economic stimulus is being put to good use or not.

But reports show, as of Oct. 30, Northeast Mississippi projects range from city road resurfacing to a new fire station, and officials are pleased with the results.

And statewide projects have received only 24 percent of the $1.7 billion the federal government plans to send through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, authorized by Congress earlier this year.

“A lot of this is still in the pipeline,” said Randy Kelley at Three Rivers Planning & Development District in Pontotoc.

He sounds enthusiastic about what’s getting done with the money and with still other proposals pending in Washington, D.C.

“They’re paving every street in Algoma,” he noted Wednesday, citing one example of a small community able to make a difference with the funding.

He’s also excited about other projects in the region, including the $3.7 million set for Itawamba Community College’s new one-stop jobs-training center in Tupelo.

“It will be THE state-of-the-art training facility in the South,” Kelley noted.

The government’s Web site tracking the programs, www.recovery.gov, estimates these projects have created or saved 3,433 jobs in Mississippi.

But criticism has gotten louder recently from President Obama’s political opposition, especially through a competing Web site, www.recovery.com. It’s offering the public a chance to vote on whether they think projects are worthy.

The most-discussed project, out of 130,362 nationwide, is a $5.94 million rest stop in California.

No such projects appear to have been funded in Northeast Mississippi.

Statewide, 621 projects have gained $410.1 million, 10 months after the legislation was signed into law. More than 1,000 Mississippi projects gained approval for ARRA funding.

Northeast Mississippi has reaped early benefits for “shovel ready” projects funded to bolster the U.S. economy as it sank into a recession.

Most of the region’s ARRA spending has gone into resurfacing streets – Aberdeen, Algoma, Corinth, New Albany, Oxford, Pontotoc, Ripley, Starkville, Tupelo and West Point report such activity.

Among the exceptions are a new fire station in Starkville, the work force center renovation for Itawamba Community College-Tupelo and historic preservation projects in Jumpertown.

What’s not immediately apparent, Kelley noted, is significant stimulus money earmarked for public school districts.

He estimated each district will get perhaps as much as $1 million.

Nationwide, nearly 57,000 projects have gained ARRA approval, although only about 23 percent of the funds have been paid out.

Obama administration officials claim the 56,986 projects nationwide have created or saved some 640,000 jobs after about 23 percent of the anticipated $159 billion payout.