Green Bay Press Gives Democrats Cover

The Green Bay Press writes here about earmarks.

What's missing from this editorial? Two, if a republican governor and republican legislators passed these earmarks would they be named in this editorial?

"Editorial: In spite of benefits, earmarks need to go

July 29, 2009

In our continuing examination of the 2009-11 state budget, we found a mix of projects for Northeastern Wisconsin ranging from restoring a stone barn to creating jobs for released prisoners.
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We scoured the 692-page document for specific mentions of the 186 cities, towns and villages in the seven counties in which they are located — Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Manitowoc, Oconto and Shawano. That review turned up more than $13.6 million in funds; however, more than $2.8 million of those allocations are split with other municipalities.

The price tag wasn't surprising. It's just that some projects benefit a select few.

The largest share — more than $6.7 million — is designated for remodeling of Rose and Wood halls on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay campus. This project, which is part of a "space use plan" originally adopted in the mid-1990s, makes sense, as well as the Innovation Entrepreneurship Institute to be established on campus for $100,000 over the next two years.

What fails to make sense are the pet projects that made their way into the budget.

The town of Chase in Oconto County gets $100,000 for its Stone Barn historic site (provided that it raises an additional $300,000 from outside sources); the town of Wausaukee in Marinette County will construct a heavy-duty vehicle storage garage, although the more than $2.8 million pot of money will be shared with three other communities; and the town of Wrightstown's recycling bins for $46,000.

The village of Bellevue gets $1.35 million for Manitowoc Road reconstruction and its street beautification project.

A Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo from June details location-specific "earmarks" contained within the proposed budget from the Joint Finance Committee and the Assembly Democratic Caucus. According to that memo, the Stone Barn project was listed among allocations under state building projects even though the State Building Commission did not recommend the funding for inclusion in the budget.

Our informal analysis, of course, does not reflect the non-fiscal items that affect our region. For example, the provision that allows the Oneida tribe to obtain a liquor license from the village of Hobart is not reflected in our scan of the budget." Editorial: In spite of benefits, earmarks need to go | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), famous for his presidential bid and push for smaller government, routinely grants constituents' requests to insert special projects ("pork") into the federal budget. Then he votes against the budgets. There's an odd logic to that: His single vote is not going to change the system, so he may as well make sure his district gets some of the spending.

In that spirit we find these budget items helpful to the people of Northeastern Wisconsin — even as we're surprised that in the state's horrendous fiscal condition they were able to muster $13.6 million for these projects.

As we have said on similar federal issues, pork barrel spending is misguided. Projects that truly merit state or federal dollars should stand on their own and be subject to a yes-or-no vote. There's a tendency to say that as long as this kind of largess continues, every town or village or city or county should get its fair share. But the system won't change until legislators end the practice altogether.

Where are the names of those that passed this? Doyle, Hansen, Nelson?
The MSM, aid and cover to the left.