Speaker Sansom: No pet projects for lawmakers
by Michael C. Bender | November 19th, 2008UPDATE: Here’s the letter from the chamber leaders.
House Speaker Ray Sansom told his Republican caucus this afternoon that, for the second year in a row, special budget requests for community projects would be denied. These so-called community budget issue requests were limited last year and about $40 million found in projects found their way into the budget.
Sansom said he and Senate President Jeff Atwater planned to send a letter to lawmakers notifying them of the decision.
“That will show the state we’re in when it comes to our finances,” Sansom said.
How big of a deal is this?
In 2007, the state budget included $475 million for projects in Palm Beach County. The haul for Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast that year was $312 million, according to a Palm Beach Post analysis of the budget.
Where's the money? Use The Post's interactive database of who wants and who's getting federal dollars.
Use these interactive graphics to find and contact Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast legislators.
November 19th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
This is only a big deal if they actually do it. Most of the time, they say “no projects” but what they really mean is, “only projects for our friends.” I’ll believe it when I see it.