Estimate: $6b in stimulus for N.C.

The federal stimulus package could bring $6.1 billion to North Carolina.

That's according to a "back of the envelope" calculation by the Federal Funds Information for States, an agency that follows the federal government for the states. The estimates are for two-year total funding.

The 1,000-page conference version of the stimulus bill just came out today, however, and there remain a lot of unknowns. These preliminary estimates are changing rapidly.

The figures that are available include: $2.3 billion for Medicaid, $1.2 billion for education, $776 million for highways and bridges, $252 million for flexible spending, $131 million for mass transit grants, $112 million for weatherization, $72 million for clean water projects, $67 million for child care, and $66 million for drinking water projects.

Among the smaller items: $17 million for Head Start, $16 million for vocational rehabilitation, $16 million for education technology, $4 million for elderly nutrition, and $3 million for emergency food and shelter.