by Kristina Rasmussen

The first details about the impact of the federal stimulus bill have been released, and Illinois hit the jackpot! No, just kidding.

According to Recovery.gov, the stimulus has created 288 jobs in Illinois. From  funds received, that's a cost to taxpayers of $75,173 per job. Wow! No word on jobs "saved."

President Obama signed the stimulus into law in February 2009. Illinois's unemployment rate was 9.2 percent. Seven months later, Illinois's unemployment rate hit 10.5 percent in September -- a 26 year high. Some recovery. Meanwhile, our 2009 federal deficit surges to $1.42 trillion, "more than three times the most red ink ever amassed in a single year."

H/T: Jim Geraghty