Arizona ranks at bottom in pork-barrel spending
by Diana Marrero on Mar. 22, 2008, under Local, Special
WASHINGTON – Arizona has some powerful lawmakers in Washington, including Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain.
But when it comes to pork-barrel spending, otherwise known as earmarks, the state ranks last.
That’s mostly because three of the state’s 10 lawmakers in Washington – McCain and House Republicans Jeff Flake and John Shadegg – refuse to ask for any federal money for local projects. Another Arizona Republican, Sen. Jon Kyl, strictly limits his earmark requests.
They all say the earmark process wastes taxpayer money and desperately needs reform. But other Arizona lawmakers counter that their colleagues’ stance hurts the state.
Arizona, the second-fastest growing state in the nation, will receive just $18.70 per capita in federal earmarks this fiscal year. By comparison, Alaska – with roughly a tenth of Arizona’s population – is set to receive $506.34 per capita, the highest in the nation, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group that tracks earmarks.
Alaska receives about three times as much as Arizona receives in actual dollars, $346 million to $119 million. That means Arizona gets less money for water projects, bridge repairs, road construction and rural clinics.
“We have members of our delegation who feel their job is not to bring equitable resources back to the state,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz. “The fact remains we are shortchanging our taxpayers by not bringing more resources into the state.”
Earmarks have gotten a bad name after public corruption scandals involving former high-profile lobbyist Jack Abramoff and former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, R-Calif.; and the 2005 disclosure of funding for a $223 million “bridge to nowhere” from a small Alaska town to a tiny island with a population of 50.
Despite the controversy, lawmakers secured about $18.3 billion for nearly 13,000 projects last year. Only 18 lawmakers declined to seek any earmarks.
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Taxpayers for Common Sense
www.taxpayer.net
