1,557 pages of pork (get ready, here it comes! or Wow! my wallet feels lighter, hmm)

[Javaman]

http://optionarmageddon.ml-implode.com/2009/01/04/1557-pages-of-pork/

Obama wants to enact a “bold” stimulus plan. And to do it VERY quickly. It’s hard to find ways to spend $775 billion-$1 trillion quickly—much of it will be tax cuts, apparently, and much of it transfers to the states to help them with Medicaid costs, but plenty will go to “infrastructure projects.” To help him find ways to spend money on infrastructure, Obama requested local government officials prepare a list of “shovel-ready” projects that can begin just as soon as the money can be shoveled out the door.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors responded with alacrity, and chutzpah, generating a 1,557 page report with approximately 19,000 projects that they’d like to see funded by the federal government. That’s approx. 19,000 earmarks, approx. 19,000 pork-barrel projects, approx. 19,000 ways to spend money the government doesn’t have on projects that will do little, if anything, to stimulate the economy long-term.

Here are some highlights:

-$621,000 for intercom/PA upgrades in Anchorage, AK
-$40,000,000 for 3 new parking garages in Huntsville, AL
-$15,000,000 to “train staff on pre-treatment” of “waste waters” in Avondale, AZ
-$220,000,000 to expand the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA
-My favorite: $65,000,000 for “residential sound insulation” to “mitigate properties from jet noise” in Inglewood, CA
-$111,400,000 for “storm drain replacement” in Long Beach, CA
-$170,000,000 for library and city hall expansion in Pleasanton, CA….(there are literally hundreds of “library” requests)
-Sacramento seems particularly greedy. The California city puts in 29 requests totaling $2.8 billion. Skimming the report, the number of requests is not that large compared to other cities, but the $ scale of the requests seems huge.
-$527,600,000 for renovating Terminal 2 at the San Franciso airport
-Miami and Miami-Dade together have 38 pages(!) of requests running well into the billions. It includes two pages (from 209-211) of “landscaping and beautification requests” and $203k for new bleachers in the gym at Redland Middle School.
-$5,000,000 for a new police station in University Heights, OH
-$250,000 for asphalt paving and “alley upgrades” in the “Townside area” of Sand Springs, OK

[n2doc]

1. How about some bridge and road upgrades/replacements in the Interstates?

Sheesh, biz as usual, I see. 15 mil to train staff to handle crap?

[Renew Deal]

13. Since when do mayors manage interstates?

:shrug:

[Romulox]

2. "Economic stimulus" = Red State Pork. Mark my words. nt

[donco6]

3. I'm curious what kind of "projects" you would find acceptable? n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. High speed rail between major metropolitan areas.

For one.

[Javaman]

10. nail on head. nt

[donco6]

12. Wouldn't that be a federal program?

Why would a state request funds for it? Seriously. If I were a governor, and I was wanting to maximize the number of projects I could get funded from this pot-'o-gold, I wouldn't request funds for projects that would possibly be funded at the federal level. I'd focus on more local projects.

I don't see anything wrong with what they've asked for.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. It's both, usually. The Fed has matching funds for transportation projects.

$500B on a national Maglev project would be fantastic.

Infrastructure.
Employment.
Green.

[tabbycat31]

16. more public transportation

could be connecting states, could be within states.

For example, near my hometown, there's been talk of running a train line across interstate 287 that connects Rockland county (NY) to Westchester county by rail therefore allowing commuters to hop the Metro North down to NYC. It would also reduce traffic on a very aging Tappan Zee Bridge (after the MN bridge collapse, I freak out whenever I drive it). It could connect NJ to CT by rail if expanded beyond NY borders.

What I'd like to see near me is a rail line parallel to route 195 in central NJ. It would connect Trenton to Belmar (both of which already have existing train stations) and have stops at places on the way like Six Flags Great Adventure, who would probably see an increase in visitors if it was accessable by train. It would also ease summer traffic. And if I wound up working in Trenton (which I might depending on what happens after school) then I would be commuting by train instead of car (I'd love a job where I did not have to drive to work therefore making my car last longer).

[notesdev]

4. Deja vu

"bold"... "quickly"

They said the same thing about dumping $700B of our dollars into the limitless abyss of financial industry fraud.

[Romulox]

5. A lot of the same cast of characters that shoved TARP down our throats involved in this

(include PE Obama himself).

[DainBramaged]

6. You gotta think these clowns have friends and relatives with a personal interest in this

or have little companies that will benefit from this pork. But the potholes, fugetaboutit.

[d_r]

7. How many of these projects have been approved and funded?

It really isn't that surprising to me that municipalities would submit proposals of things that they have planned but have not been able to implement yet because of their budgets. That is sort of the whole point of "ready to go." Some of these seem really appropriate and important for infrastructure, e.g., storm drain replacement, waste water treatment, at least to me.

[depakid]

8. It's largely a wish list

Though if people take a little time to skim through the list, they'll find a lot of useful improvemens and investments- along with the inevitable pork.

And, as you say- they look to be "shovel ready," so to speak- which is exactly what local economies need.

[Renew Deal]

14. Exactly

Obama asked and the mayors answered. We'll see what survives. But some of those items seem to make sense on the surface.

[Javaman]

11. After the inflated house version of the bank bailout (400+ pages of all the pork you can eat),

I expect the same with this one.

Obama wanted this pushed through right away, but then congress said, "hold on there buck-a-roo, we have to look this thing over!", which sent up major red flags to me.

Like someone said on another thread, any pork that is added to this thing will come off as being a "stimulus". it's a win win for all the pork barrel/ear markers out there.

Obama is out to do good, congress is out to get reelected.