CA – Childers’ earmarks include $14 million for DeSoto

Childers’ earmarks include $14 million for DeSoto

WASHINGTON — DeSoto County’s Regional Utility Authority would receive $12 million and the City of Oxford would get a new $1 million emergency operations center if U.S. Rep. Travis Childers, D-Miss., receives all the special spending requests he posted this afternoon.

Democratic House members, responding to public anger over perceived wasteful spending, agreed to ask for the special spending, known as earmarks, only for public entities or non-profit organizations this year. Republicans have pledged not to seek earmarks at all.

There’s no telling how many of the earmark requests will make it through the appropriations process.

Under Childers’ requests, money would go to restoring the Columbus City Hall, expanding the North Panola County Water District to another 450 homes, and teaching early childhood development skills to new teachers.

Childrers requested $413,057 for the Northwest Mississippi Community College’s Tool and Die Technology and Automotive Technology programs and $1 million for development of an industrial park near Batesville.

Commercial Appeal
3/23/10