Pork projects from the state legislature
Here is a list of my favorite pork projects from the State House version of the FY 2007 supplemental budget. Many of these projects should be funded solely by private entities and not by government, like $75,000 to Georgia Voyager magazine or $1 million for the Tour de Georgia.
- $24,064 for the relocation and continuation of the Anne Frank in the World exhibit and for the operational costs of the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust.
- $25,000 for operations to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
- $25,000 for operations to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
- $50,000 for the Civil War Heritage Trails project.
- $50,000 for the Silver Haired Legislature.
- $75,000 for Georgia Voyager magazine.
- $100,000 for Warner Robins Air Force Base museum.
- $125,000 for the Historic Chattahoochee Commission.
- $250,000 for programming and design development for replacements of existing interiors within common areas, electrical, HVAC and water intrusion within the Floyd Building.
- $300,000 for operations to the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.
- $350,000 for Zoo Atlanta's proposed new animal hospital.
- $429,390 for House member's per diem.
- $1,000,000 for the Tour de Georgia.
- $5,000,000 for Civil War commemoration preparation and Resaca Battlefield development.
- $5,000,000 for the National Infantry Museum project.
- $5,734,000 for the demolition of the State Archives building.
- $19,000,000 for "Go Fish Georgia."
- $46,550,000 for the West Point Development Authority for the Kia project development grant and purchase of a rail spur to complete site development.
- $50,000,000 for grant funds to acquire lands for the preservation and protection of Georgia's critical and essential watersheds and wildlife habitats within the Governor's Land Conservation program.
I wish I could say "April Fools," but sadly this is not a joke.
Comments
I will not complain about capital improvements. And some cultural expenses are ok. But for the life of me I cannot abide some of this greasy pork.
The KIA plant will hire as many Alabamians as Georgians, and their income will be spent at home - not in West Point or Lagrange! Sure as heck not in Henry County!
$19 million for improving our fishing-tourism trade? It ain't like folks don't already know where to fish.
And this one: $1,000,000 for the Tour de Georgia. What the heck is Tour de Georgia? It sounds like a political slush fund for cities.
$50 million for the preservation and protection of watershed... If EPA, state and local rules, ordinances and laws were enforced our wetlands would not be endangered!! Until some legislative body says NO to developers, this money will be used to offset or mitigate impact to wetlands caused by development. Just maybe it will be doled out to Georgia Pacific because they "plant trees," or to allow "greenspace" to exist within 10-20 miles of high density housing & strip malls.
I do not generally oppose taxation. Wasteful spending is the problem.
Posted by: Larry Stanley | April 1, 2007 02:36 PM
I'm glad to see the Georgia House doing whats necessary to drive the Jews and Muslims from this state. Kudos to them.
Posted by: Chris Farris | April 1, 2007 03:24 PM
Jason you forgot these:
609 - Grant to Henry County for: Sidewalks near congested school area. -$19,475
610 - Grant to Henry County for: Reading material, supplies and audio books for disabled individuals. -$5,000
611 - Grant to Henry County for: Regular equipment, shotguns and thermal imagers.- $10,000
612 - Grant to Henry County for: Purchase video cameras for police cars. - $40,000
613 - Grant to Henry County for: Fund archaeological dig at Lovejoy Battlefield. - $25,000
Now I can make a good argument on items 609, 610, 611 and 612. But it seems that the Nash Battlefield reaches to the state capital. I wonder which Representative placed that fat back into the pork stew?
Posted by: ngreenbaum | April 1, 2007 05:51 PM
Greenie,
Rep. Davis told me that he had no earmarks in the budget.
I was looking for bigger ones, I didn't see these as I was looking through it.
Posted by: Jason | April 1, 2007 05:53 PM
Larry: Tour de Georgia is Georgia's answer to the Tour de France. It is a bicycle race in which elite cyclists at the level of Lance Armstrong compete. It probably costs the state that $1M to pay all the police officers, setup/breakdown crews, cleanup crews, etc.
I have a very close relative who is a CAT 3 racer (very fit/competitive). Even he says the Tour de Georgia probably doesn't add much value to the Georgia economy.
Before we fund any museums, halls of fame, magazines, and good ole boys going fishing, we need to fix the damn roads that get us to these places, right? After all, we are facing a major transportation funding shortfall.
Posted by: Wonder Dog | April 1, 2007 06:35 PM
I'm not sure, but counties may request these grants. I don't know that legislators put them in.
Posted by: Jason | April 1, 2007 07:17 PM
Wonder Dog, thanks for the info. I really did not know, and thought it was a multi-city tour like the one McDonough has fought over funding.
Larry
Posted by: Larry Stanley | April 1, 2007 08:50 PM
Those items are from the original FY07 budget! They are not add ons to the amended budget.
I did the sidewalks for safety reasons! Not sure who did reading stuff.
I think Lunsford was on the thermal imagers.
And finally I believe Senator Douglas did the police cameras and the dig money.
But again remember these are not new to the FY07 amended budget! I will have no earmarks in the FY08 budget.
These projects are only put in at the request of a legislators!
The Battlefield is in my district and Senator Douglas'.
Posted by: Rep Davis | April 1, 2007 09:28 PM
I stand corrected.
Posted by: Jason | April 1, 2007 09:39 PM
Clarification:
When I said these items are add ons I was referring to ngreenbaums request, the 609-613. And if your looking at the budget actually none of the LAG projects are new add ons.
I believe the items in the original post are new projects added in the FY07 amended budget but none of them are Local Asst Grant Projecs(LAG).
Posted by: Rep Davis | April 1, 2007 09:49 PM