Posted on 07/09/2008 11:32:15 AM PDT by Born Conservative
The Department of Transportation is refusing to move forward on an earmark backed by Rep. Paul Kanjorski (Pa.), the rare House Democrat facing a tough reelection this fall.
Transportation (DoT) is blocking funds to build a $5.6 million parking garage to the Kanjorski Center, which was constructed to attract economic development in the city of Nanticoke in Kanjorski’s Eastern Pennsylvania district. Kanjorski’s earmark for the project was included in the 2005 transportation bill.
DoT contends the garage does not meet federal rules intended to spur the use of public transportation. Those rules allow federal funds for parking garages only if they are connected to other public transportation facilities outside a business area with a population of 50,000 or more, or if it serves high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs) and public mass transportation passengers.
The parking garage is not the only Kanjorski earmark the DoT has scrutinized in recent years. The department has taken exception to more than 20 of Kanjorski’s transportation earmarks totaling nearly $7 million. Kanjorski’s staff worked with the DoT to change those earmarks so they now comply with federal rules.
Kanjorski for more than two decades has brought tens of millions of dollars of federal money home to his district. His earmarks have created several different centers and organizations aimed at stimulating the cash-strapped local economy.
But Kanjorski’s family ties to some of the groups that have benefited from his earmarks have stirred criticism and animosity among local Democratic officials.
State Rep. Joe Yudichak, a Democrat and former Kanjorski ally who is now a critic, said he was concerned that the parking garage was ineligible for federal money despite Kanjorski’s claims to the contrary. Now that the DoT has made that clear, he said, the city can use the money for street improvements and surface parking.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Obama’s pillow?
Kanjorski is the clown who proposed this legislation:
SEC. 3. REASONABLE PROFITS BOARD.
(a) Establishment- There is established an independent board to be known as the `Reasonable Profits Board’ (hereafter in this section referred to as the `Board’).
(b) Duties- The Board shall make reasonable profit determinations for purposes of applying section 5896 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to windfall profit on crude oil, natural gas, and products thereof).
(c) Advisory Committee- The Board shall be considered an advisory committee within the meaning of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
(d) Appointment-
(1) MEMBERS- The Board shall be composed of 3 members appointed by the President of the United States.
(2) TERM- Members of the Board shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.
(3) BACKGROUND- The members shall have no financial interests in any of the businesses for which reasonable profits are determined by the Board.
HR 5800
Guy sounds like a real horse’s ass. Bet he learned a lot from Bobby Byrd. Wonder if he and TraitorMurtha are friends?
Horse’s ass is an understatement: http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/kanjorski/index?tab=articles
I hope Lou Barletta beats this guy.
He has an excellent chance at doing so. In fact, Kanjo has a very lame ad plastered all over the TV; he’s obviously worried.
Just a typical long-serving PA Moonbat ripping off the taxpayers for his own benefit.
He is as crooked as a barrel of fishhooks and lower down than a snakes belly in a wagon track.
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