Washington Way: Congress gives Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey the boot (takes back unspent federal funds)

[doeriver]

Tennessee may lose unspent federal funds
It's unclear why $800K wasn't used
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100815/NEWS01/8150353/1001/NLETTER01?source=nletter-news
BY BILL THEOBALD • TENNESSEAN WASHINGTON BUREAU • AUGUST 15, 2010

WASHINGTON — Middle Tennessee officials are hoping to keep at least part of about $1 million in federal funds that were approved more than a decade ago for two transportation projects but were never spent.

The two projects, park-and-ride facilities for the Music City Star commuter rail and a bicycle path in Davidson and Williamson counties, are among more than 300 projects included in transportation bills passed by Congress starting in 1987.

Earlier this month, the House voted 394-23 for legislation that would return to the Treasury $700 million in unspent money for those projects. All nine Tennessee House members voted for the bill.

The legislation was portrayed as a way to save tax dollars in a time of huge deficits and as another step away from the highly criticized practice of earmarking, in which lawmakers add money to spending bills to finance special projects back home.

But the potential loss of funds for the two Middle Tennessee projects is less about government waste and more about bureaucratic confusion and changing leadership.

Federal funding authority for the Music City Star park-and-ride facilities was included in a massive 1998 transportation bill. The Tennessee Department of Transportation got permission to spend $7.5 million on the commuter rail, but $815,426 remains.

State officials have permission to spend only $120,000 of that remaining money, TDOT spokeswoman Julie Oaks said.

(...more at hyperlink)