Walz seeks $211.5 million for 47 projects

posted by Edward Felker, P-B Washington Bureau

(UPDATED: Late in the day, Rep. Walz reversed course and opted to disclose the amount he requested for each project, after a conference call with reporters in which he was asked to disclose the information and explain why he was withholding it. The post below has been edited to include the numbers issued by Walz both to reporters and on his official web site, and an explanation of the move by his spokeswoman.)

Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato, today issued a list of 47 "earmark" requests for 2009 appropriations totaling $211,509, 561. Some are repeats from last year, such as $20 million for improvements to Highway 14, and some new ones, including $4 million sought for the four-lane expansion of 55th Street in Rochester,  and $4.5 million for the dredging and restoration of Lake Zumbro. 

Walz initially did not reveal how much he asked for each project. He said in a conference call today that he did not want to affect fundraising by non-profit groups by raising expectations of congressional funding, because few will get any money at all and those that get money will likely not get funding at the level requested by Walz. He said, however, that he will release his requested amounts for public works projects on a case-by-case basis. Later in the day, he opted to release requested totals for each project.

His spokeswoman Meredith Salsbery said Walz did so to emphasize his commitment to transparency in seeking the projects.

Other Rochester projects Walz backs include:

-- the Incredible Years curriculum at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, $100,000;
-- Bolder Options youth mentorship program, to extend its services to Rochester, $250,000;

-- Sheriff's Youth Program in Rochester and Dodge County, $750,000;

-- Rochester Transit Operations Center 60-bus garage, $2.1 million.

Walz, who represents the southern 1st Congressional District, acknowledged that the climate is not good in Washington for earmark projects and Congress may end the year this fall in a budget stalemate without approving local money. "We're still optimistic, but we tell people not to count on it. They're going to have to do their budgeting accordingly without this ability to be there (for them)," he said.

See all of Walz's projects at his official web site. The biggest requests were for the Lewis and Clark Water System in southwestern Minnesota, at $35 million, Minnesota National Guard Mankato field maintenance facility, $16.6 million, and a combined $70 million for the Upper Mississippi River navigation and restoration programs that will be part of joint requests with lawmakers along the river.