By Billy House
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
Email to a Friend
Stumble It!
WASHINGTON - U.S. House members from the Tampa Bay area are seeking millions of federal dollars for favorite local projects and causes, ranging from a computer-simulated firing range at Hillsborough Community College to Manatee protection efforts.
Other requests include funds for restoration of the historic Centro Espanol de West Tampa, dredging in Tampa Harbor, fighting exotic insects and weeds, and downtown revitalization in Clearwater.
These election-year requests to congressional appropriators were voluntarily made public on Monday and Tuesday. The lawmakers want the projects included as so-called "earmarks" in the 2009 federal budget due to be finalized this October.
Republican Reps. Ginny Brown-Waite of Brooksville, Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, and Adam Putnam of Bartow were joined by Democrat Kathy Castor of Tampa in releasing their earmark wish-lists. Each is posting their lists on their congressional office Web sites.
Among Tampa Bay area House members, only Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Largo has not released his specific 2009 earmark requests. Young was ranked by one government-watch organization as the most successful House Republican in the nation last year in getting such requests funded -- with over 88 of his projects in the 2008 budget totaling $169 million.
Young spokesman Harry Glenn explained Young is still sifting through requests from universities, some medical programs, and also that "virtually half of the cities in his district have made requests for roadway projects, bike trails (and) other items."
Young is a former House Appropriations Committee chairman who continues to serve as the top Republican on the appropriations defense subcommittee. His influence over the budget process means he'll also be called upon to help other members of Congress to secure funding for items not just within his own district, but across the nation, said Glenn.
Some critics deride such special-request funding as "pork-barrel spending."
They say the pursuit of these taxpayer dollars awarded outside the usual merit-based and competitive federal grant process is often less about fulfilling real needs as it is about rewarding lawmakers who wield the most power and influence. Too often, they add, this process is intended more to score political points for incumbent members of Congress who bring home the "bacon" in terms of jobs and other benefits.
"Even a stopped clock is right twice a day," said one critic, Steve Ellis of the Washington-based Taxpayers for Common Sense, conceding some of the projects have merit.
The bigger issue, say Ellis and other critics, is that earmarking is a process that lends itself to corruption, because lawmakers who are worried about re-election find themselves pressed by constituents, local and state officials, educators, businesses, community groups and lobbyists to make the requests.
But Young staunchly defends the earmarking process and the bacon he brings home.
In a re-election campaign letter recently sent to constituents, he boasts of the federal funding he has steered over the years through earmarks to Tampa Bay area veterans' hospitals, roads and highways and improvements, and military institutions. He even describes earmarks as having a profound positive impact on local economies.
Young also tells his constituents: "Remember, every time you turn on your water faucet, the water that comes out just might be flowing from the C.W. Bill Young Reservoir that was funded by a congressional earmark."
In fact, of the 435 members of the U.S. House, only Majority leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat from Maryland, got more special projects funded in the 2008 budget than did Young, although his 95 projects totaled $139 million -- $30 million less than Young's 88 projects, according to Congress.org, a Web site published by a company that provides inside-the-Beltway lobbying advice.
In releasing their earmark lists this week, the other Tampa Bay area House members were doing something that had not been typical before last year.
Since a new law enacted last year, budget documents must identify the sponsors of projects contained in the spending bills.
In releasing her list, freshman Castor disclosed 80 projects that would total about $228 million. They include $3.6 million to help repair the Platt Street Bridge, $1 million to restore and preserve the Centro Espanol de West Tampa, and $300,000 to create and conduct a Spanish-language gang prevention awareness campaign in the media.
Congress.Org ranked Castor 262nd in the House in getting her earmarks in the 2008 budget, with 17 projects totaling $19.8 million.
Freshman Bilirakis disclosed 22 projects totaling more than $64 million, including more than $1 million requested with Castor for Lowry Park Zoo's efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release manatees; $500,000 for the Hillsborough Community College public safety training center for the establishment of a computer-simulated firing range, and $300,000 for the Plant City Police Department for a mobile command post.
Congress.Org ranked Bilirakis 272nd in the House for 2008, with 17 projects totaling $17.8 million.
Brown-Waite disclosed 10 funding requests this week that would total more than $29 million. They include $5.6 million for the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife's land acquisition program for the purchase of land near Three Sisters Springs. This land abuts Manatee protection areas. She's also requested $4.331 million for water and wastewater improvements in the City of Brooksville.
Congress.Org placed Brown-Waite at 403rd among House members in getting earmarks into the 2008 budget, with six projects totaling more than $6.4 million.
Putnam disclosed 14 funding requests totaling more than $30 million. They include $250,000 for the Polk County Methamphetamine Prevention Project, $2.5 million to support information-sharing technology between Tampa General Hospital, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital and Shriners Hospitals for Children in Tampa, and $10 million to the University of Florida to support a program to stem the invasion of exotic diseases, insects and weeds in the United States.
Congress.Org ranked Putnam, the No. 3 GOP leader in the House, at 234th among his House colleagues in getting 2008 budget earmarks, with 20 projects totaling $15.9 million.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at 202 662-7673 or bhouse@mediageneral.com.
Other requests include funds for restoration of the historic Centro Espanol de West Tampa, dredging in Tampa Harbor, fighting exotic insects and weeds, and downtown revitalization in Clearwater.
These election-year requests to congressional appropriators were voluntarily made public on Monday and Tuesday. The lawmakers want the projects included as so-called "earmarks" in the 2009 federal budget due to be finalized this October.
Republican Reps. Ginny Brown-Waite of Brooksville, Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, and Adam Putnam of Bartow were joined by Democrat Kathy Castor of Tampa in releasing their earmark wish-lists. Each is posting their lists on their congressional office Web sites.
Among Tampa Bay area House members, only Rep. C.W. Bill Young of Largo has not released his specific 2009 earmark requests. Young was ranked by one government-watch organization as the most successful House Republican in the nation last year in getting such requests funded -- with over 88 of his projects in the 2008 budget totaling $169 million.
Young spokesman Harry Glenn explained Young is still sifting through requests from universities, some medical programs, and also that "virtually half of the cities in his district have made requests for roadway projects, bike trails (and) other items."
Young is a former House Appropriations Committee chairman who continues to serve as the top Republican on the appropriations defense subcommittee. His influence over the budget process means he'll also be called upon to help other members of Congress to secure funding for items not just within his own district, but across the nation, said Glenn.
Some critics deride such special-request funding as "pork-barrel spending."
They say the pursuit of these taxpayer dollars awarded outside the usual merit-based and competitive federal grant process is often less about fulfilling real needs as it is about rewarding lawmakers who wield the most power and influence. Too often, they add, this process is intended more to score political points for incumbent members of Congress who bring home the "bacon" in terms of jobs and other benefits.
"Even a stopped clock is right twice a day," said one critic, Steve Ellis of the Washington-based Taxpayers for Common Sense, conceding some of the projects have merit.
The bigger issue, say Ellis and other critics, is that earmarking is a process that lends itself to corruption, because lawmakers who are worried about re-election find themselves pressed by constituents, local and state officials, educators, businesses, community groups and lobbyists to make the requests.
But Young staunchly defends the earmarking process and the bacon he brings home.
In a re-election campaign letter recently sent to constituents, he boasts of the federal funding he has steered over the years through earmarks to Tampa Bay area veterans' hospitals, roads and highways and improvements, and military institutions. He even describes earmarks as having a profound positive impact on local economies.
Young also tells his constituents: "Remember, every time you turn on your water faucet, the water that comes out just might be flowing from the C.W. Bill Young Reservoir that was funded by a congressional earmark."
In fact, of the 435 members of the U.S. House, only Majority leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat from Maryland, got more special projects funded in the 2008 budget than did Young, although his 95 projects totaled $139 million -- $30 million less than Young's 88 projects, according to Congress.org, a Web site published by a company that provides inside-the-Beltway lobbying advice.
In releasing their earmark lists this week, the other Tampa Bay area House members were doing something that had not been typical before last year.
Since a new law enacted last year, budget documents must identify the sponsors of projects contained in the spending bills.
In releasing her list, freshman Castor disclosed 80 projects that would total about $228 million. They include $3.6 million to help repair the Platt Street Bridge, $1 million to restore and preserve the Centro Espanol de West Tampa, and $300,000 to create and conduct a Spanish-language gang prevention awareness campaign in the media.
Congress.Org ranked Castor 262nd in the House in getting her earmarks in the 2008 budget, with 17 projects totaling $19.8 million.
Freshman Bilirakis disclosed 22 projects totaling more than $64 million, including more than $1 million requested with Castor for Lowry Park Zoo's efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release manatees; $500,000 for the Hillsborough Community College public safety training center for the establishment of a computer-simulated firing range, and $300,000 for the Plant City Police Department for a mobile command post.
Congress.Org ranked Bilirakis 272nd in the House for 2008, with 17 projects totaling $17.8 million.
Brown-Waite disclosed 10 funding requests this week that would total more than $29 million. They include $5.6 million for the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife's land acquisition program for the purchase of land near Three Sisters Springs. This land abuts Manatee protection areas. She's also requested $4.331 million for water and wastewater improvements in the City of Brooksville.
Congress.Org placed Brown-Waite at 403rd among House members in getting earmarks into the 2008 budget, with six projects totaling more than $6.4 million.
Putnam disclosed 14 funding requests totaling more than $30 million. They include $250,000 for the Polk County Methamphetamine Prevention Project, $2.5 million to support information-sharing technology between Tampa General Hospital, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital and Shriners Hospitals for Children in Tampa, and $10 million to the University of Florida to support a program to stem the invasion of exotic diseases, insects and weeds in the United States.
Congress.Org ranked Putnam, the No. 3 GOP leader in the House, at 234th among his House colleagues in getting 2008 budget earmarks, with 20 projects totaling $15.9 million.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at 202 662-7673 or bhouse@mediageneral.com.