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The Fort Myers News-Press

January 4, 2008 - U.S. Rep Connie Mack IV did a good job bringing home the federal bacon for Southwest Florida this year.

The Fort Myers Republican got $5.4 million of the $16.4 million he requested in “earmarks,” a good average.

One complaint about earmarks is that they are not allotted on the basis of any kind of competitive merit system. It’s all about a Congress member’s political clout and skill.

But that’s what everybody — everybody — expects their U.S. representative to do, even people who rail against federal spending on non-national needs. If the member fails to deliver, he or she would be vulnerable to the charge that the district’s constituents are not being served, while people in other districts are getting goodies paid for by all of us.

And Mack’s projects are worthy; no “bridges” to nowhere here.

Should federal money be passed out in this manner? No, of course not.

Has it always been, and will it always be? Yes, of course.

CONNIE MACK’S EARMARKS

Money Rep. Connie Mack IV brought home:

• $1.425 million, dredging in the Naples area.

• $951,000, beach renourishment on Gasparilla Island.

• $1.235 million, dredging in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

• $98,000, to study four interchanges at the busiest and most dangerous Lee County intersections of U.S. 41.

• $490,000, improvements to I-75/Collier Boulevard/SR 84 Interchange.

• $196,000, widen the Burnt Store Road Evacuation Route in Charlotte County.

• $352,500, for a specialized study and criminal forensics program at Florida Gulf Coast University.

• $352,500, public safety equipment for Collier County Emergency Services

• $146,000, educational programs at Edison and Ford Winter Estates.

• $195,000, for FGCU to study impact of freshwater flows in coastal waters.