Rep. Steve Kagen column: Earmarks are investments in communities [Appleton Post-Crescent]
When your expenses exceed your income, your upkeep will be your downfall. That old adage is just as true for your family’s budget as it is for the federal government that’s spending your hard-earned tax dollars.
That’s why the first vote I cast after voters sent me to Washington was to stop the secretive way politicians had created to fund their pet projects through anonymous “earmarks.” In 2006 alone, President Bush asked for $20 billion in this type of secretive funding.
But now, our new reforms are bringing necessary openness and accountability to the budgeting process, so anyone who suggests spending your money has to put their name next to the request — providing taxpayers with information they need to decide whether projects are good investments or just plain pork.
Make no mistake, there’s a big difference.
In the past year, I’ve helped secure $450,000 for the College Avenue bridge in Appleton, $490,000 for the Outagamie County Regional Airport, $446,500 for the FoxComm emergency communication system and $980,000 for the U.S. 41 construction project from Oconto to Peshtigo — all worthwhile investments that will improve the economy of every community in the Fox Cities.
A good example of how these worthwhile public investments can make a positive difference in people’s private lives is the water treatment plant in Peshtigo.
When Mayor Tom Strouf asked Sen. Herb Kohl and me to help, the city’s water system was out of compliance with Environmental Protection Agency standards because of the high level of radium in the water. Without federal aid, residents of Peshtigo would have seen their water bills increase excessively, inhibiting the economic development of the city.
No responsible leader would turn his back on the people of Peshtigo when asked to help. Sen. Kohl and I certainly didn’t, and $492,200 in federal funding later, the city is on its way to guaranteeing residents safe drinking water.
I have proudly put my name next to $25 million in investments for northeast Wisconsin, from dredging the Green Bay harbor to expanding the emergency room in Marinette and developing the riverfront in downtown Green Bay. I stand behind each of these proudly and the other investments, which are returning federal tax dollars to our region, spurring job creation and strengthening our communities.
For years, Wisconsin taxpayers have sent more money to Washington than we have received in return. But that’s changing. Given the option, I think it makes sense to spend our hard-earned tax dollars right back here in Wisconsin where they belong.
Rep. Steve Kagen: 920-380-0061 or kagen.house.gov
Appleton Post-Crescent
