Feingold’s Smoke & Mirrors Show On Stimulus Watchdog

Tuesday, 16 June 2009 17:52

“Stimulus” Funds Used To Repair Rarely-Used Bridges In Wisconsin

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) released a new report citing a number of excessive pork barrel spending projects and lack of proper oversight for taxpayer dollars as a result of the Democrats’ massive stimulus bill, which was sped through Congress earlier this year.

Senator Coburn’s report includes “the repair of 37 rural bridges in Wisconsin that average little more than 500 vehicles apiece each day — with one carrying no more than 10 cars a day. The projects jumped over larger, urban repairs because they were ‘shovel ready,’” according to the Associated Press.

This runs counter to U.S. Senator Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) own concerns upon passage of the massive “stimulus” bill that it was Congress and President Obama should demonstrate “fiscal discipline” as they spend “a tremendous amount of money.”

“Unfortunately for Wisconsin taxpayers, Russ Feingold’s repeated promises about spending the so-called ‘stimulus’ funds responsibly are ringing hollow. Spending nearly half a million dollars on bridges that carry fewer than ten cars per day is a far cry from the ‘timely, targeted and temporary’ economic relief that Feingold and the Democrats guaranteed when they fast-tracked this bloated spending bill through Congress in February,” said
Colin Reed, National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Russ Feingold Promised Fiscal Responsibility When Handing Out “Stimulus” Money To Wisconsin:

Feingold Said It’s Important To Show Fiscal Discipline With The “Stimulus” Funding. “It’s important Congress and President Obama demonstrate ‘fiscal discipline’ as they spend ‘a tremendous amount of money’ through stimulus and budget bills, U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Middleton, said Friday. The state’s junior senator vowed he would fight for legislation to monitor federal appropriations more closely.” (Charlie Mathews, “Feingold Vows Fight For ‘Fiscal Discipline,’” Herald Times Reporter [Manitowoc, WI], 4/18/09)

Feingold Issued A Press Release Urging The White House To Take Additional Steps To Better Track How “Stimulus” Money Is Being Spent. “U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is urging the Obama administration to take additional steps to better track taxpayer dollars being used for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the economic stimulus bill. In a letter sent today to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Peter Orszag, Feingold called for improving recipient reporting and data collection. Feingold wants to ensure stimulus funding is tracked all the way to its ultimate use and require recipients of funding to report on the actual number of jobs created and retained rather than just an estimate.” (Senator Russ Feingold, Press Release, “Sen. Feingold Pushes For More Stimulus Oversight,” 4/17/09)

• Feingold Even Launched A Website Tracking The “Stimulus” Funding In Wisconsin. (Senator Russ Feingold, Press Release, “Sen. Feingold Launches Economic Recovery Bill Information Website,” 2/24/09)

HOWEVER, MULTIPLE WISCONSIN “STIMULUS” PROJECTS HAVE PROVEN TO BE A QUESTIONABLE USE OF TAX DOLLARS

Senator Coburn’s “Stimulus” Report Found Multiple Instances Of Waste On Transportation Projects In Wisconsin:

• “Wisconsin Has 1,256 Structurally Deficient Bridges, Which Is More Than The Number In Florida, Colorado, Arizona And Alaska – Combined. Instead Of Repairing These Bridges, $15.8 Million In Transportation Stimulus Money Will Be Used Repair 37 Rural Bridges That Hardly Anyone Uses.” (Senator Tom Coburn, Senate Office, “100 Stimulus Projects: A Second Opinion,” www.coburn.senate.gov, Accessed 6/16/09)

  • “One Bridge Along River Road In Iowa County Carries No More Than 10 Cars A Day, But Will Receive Nearly $430,000 For Repairs.” (Senator Tom Coburn, Senate Office, “100 Stimulus Projects: A Second Opinion,” www.coburn.senate.gov, Accessed 6/16/09)

    • “One Small Bridge Is Receiving $840,000, Though It Only Carries 260 Vehicles A Day On Average. It Primarily Provides Access To A Golf Course And Rusty’s Backwater Saloon, Which Boasts Pontoon Rentals And A Steak-A-Rooni For Just $5.25.” (Senator Tom Coburn, Senate Office, “100 Stimulus Projects: A Second Opinion,” www.coburn.senate.gov, Accessed 6/16/09)

• In Contrast, The Journal-Sentinal Found That Half Of All Milwaukee Streets Have Not Been Repaved For Forty Years And 20 Percent Of Them Are Past Their Intended Lifespan.” (Senator Tom Coburn, Senate Office, “100 Stimulus Projects: A Second Opinion,” www.coburn.senate.gov, Accessed 6/16/09)

Feingold’s Website Praises The Use Of “Stimulus” Money To Fix Wisconsin’s Transportation System. “Wisconsin is receiving $529.1 million in highway formula grants for shovel-ready road and bridge repair and improvement. The Department of Transportation has announced the first round of state highway projects to receive funding in the economic recovery package.” (Senator Russ Feingold, Senate Website, “Recovery For Wisconsin,” http://feingold.senate.gov/recovery/grants_ed.html, Accessed 6/16/09)

Local Residents Are Shocked That “Stimulus” Money Is Being Spent On These Small Projects. “‘I was surprised as anyone when I got the call that the bridge was going to be fixed,’ Lucey said at town hall, housed in a sheet metal building. ‘I can tell you that bridge is a low priority for us.’ When asked whether the River Road Bridge gets much use, Iowa County Highway Commissioner Craig Hardy, replied, ‘No, it doesn’t.’” (Ben Poston and Tom Held, “Following The Money, How Stimulus Funds Are Being Spent,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 3/30/09)