Speaker’s, House Majority Leader’s pet projects snipped by governor
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008We kindly ask your forgiveness if we’re a little tardy with posts. Today marks the last day Gov. Sonny Perdue can sign or veto legislation, and as my colleague pointed out earlier, dude is on a roll.
We just received a copy of the items in the budget Perdue considers “unjustified” — or, the little things lawmakers want state money to pay for that make the governor boil with anger.
Like Speaker Glenn Richardson’s and House Majority Leader Jerry Keen’s pork projects.
The two Gold Dome bigwigs had their fingerprints all over a $5.2 million earmark aimed at improving landing strips back in their home districts. Paulding County Regional Airport — Richardson’s stomping grounds — would have received $4 million. The Glynn County Airport Commission in Keen’s neck o’ the woods would have received $500,000. The Cherokee County Airport Authority was slated to receive the remaining $700,000 of the earmarked funds.
And Perdue says nyet!
State funding for airports is currently determined in accordance with statewide priorities for air transport and is awarded on a competitive basis. Local communities are encouraged to seek funding from Airport Aid at the Department of Transportation ($23 million available in FY09) and the AirGeorgia program at the OneGeorgia Authority ($15 million available in FY09). Therefore, I veto the appropriation of $5,200,000 contained in this proviso.
Put a cold steak on those black eyes, gents. There’s more cash to be had next year!
All in all, Perdue’s cuts trimmed $14.2 million from the state budget. Maybe that could be used for those GRTA buses that are sorely needed because of rising gas prices? You know, like the $13 million that was earmarked for ‘em before the General Assembly cut the funds out? Just asking.
