The Pork Winners Announced

[Gaspar]

First Place: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) - $776 million
Second Place: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) - $724 million

The only Senators with NO EARMARKS:

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) - $0
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) - $0
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) - $0
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) - $0
Sen. Clare McCaskill (D-MO) - $0

[nathanm]

First Place: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) - $776 million
Second Place: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) - $724 million

The only Senators with NO EARMARKS:

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) - $0
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) - $0
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) - $0
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) - $0
Sen. Clare McCaskill (D-MO) - $0

It makes a certain amount of sense that two of the largest states in the nation would get the largest amount of money, but what do I know.

[Cats Cats Cats]

DailyKos tried to spin the numbers a bit on this one.  The spreadsheet has 3 columns.  Most of the money should go to CA and NY being that they pay most of the money.  Federal Taxes Paid vs Federal spending by State has CA at .78 back in spending for every $1 paid in taxes (2005).  New York as .79 for every $1 paid in taxes.  Oklahoma got $1.36 for every $1 paid in federal taxes. http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/22685.html

1) Solo Earmarks

Byrd          $122,804,900
Shelby      $114,484,250
Bond           $85,691,491
Feinstein   $76,899,425
Cochran   $75,908,475
Murkowski   $74,000,750
Harkin   $66,860,000
Inhofe   $53,133,500
McConnell   $51,186,000

2) Solo and with Other Members

Cochran R   $470,857,775
Wicker R   $390,993,300
Landrieu D   $332,099,063
Harkin    D  $292,360,036
Vitter       R  $249,182,063
Bond       R  $248,160,991
Feinstein D $235,027,932
Inouye    D $225,077,157
Shelby    R $219,398,750

3) Solo, Other Members, and President (not sure what the + President Means)

Feinstein   $776,706,649
Schumer   $724,706,765
Cochran   $563,152,775
Boxer           $515,511,738
Martinez   $502,217,592
Murray   $500,923,962
Landrieu   $487,845,063
Nelson, Bill   $486,549,965
Wicker   $453,735,300

[Gaspar]

It makes a certain amount of sense that two of the largest states in the nation would get the largest amount of money, but what do I know.

Don't confuse the earmarks with the legitimate budgetary spending.  These are for "hometown" projects unrelated to the omnibus bill.  Wonderful things like $250,000 dollars to remodel the DuPont family tugboat, or half a million for the National Virtual Vietnam Library in Lubbock Texas.  How about  $33,000 for equipment and technology to implement a new elementary school classroom performance evaluation system in Jordan UT?  I thought that was called "grades".  

I'm sure that these are all wonderful projects but there are 8,968 of them so far.  Some are nickel and dime and there is not enough oversight in the world to track where all of this money is going to end up.

[cannon_fodder]

Half of me wants to be proud of Tommy boy for sticking up for fiscal conservatism and a reasonable budget... half of me wants to slap him for not bringing home the bacon as we will be forced to pay for everyone else's anyway.

[Cats Cats Cats]

Here is what Oklahoma has in the list. 

Final Amount   Description                                          City/Location
$20,288,000   Canton Lake, OK (Dam Safety)   
$9,485,000      Fort Gibson Lake, OK   Fort Gibson Lake
$6,125,000      Robert S. Keer Lock and Dam and Reservoir, OK   
$5,637,000      Keystone Lake, OK   Keystone Lake
$5,401,000      Mcclellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, OK   
$4,964,000      Eufaula Lake, OK   Eufaula Lake
$4,358,000      Webbers Falls Lock & Dam, OK   
$3,522,000      Tenkiller Ferry Lake, OK   Tenkiller Ferry Lake
$2,389,000      Kaw Lake, OK   
$2,142,000      Genetics and Production Research, Lane, OK   Lane
$1,785,000      Oologah Lake, OK   Oologah Lake
$1,766,000      Broken Bow Lake, OK   Broken Bow Lake
$1,585,000      Canton Lake, OK   Canton Lake
$1,425,000      Salt Fork of the Red River Bridge Martha Crossing, OK   
$1,386,000      Hugo Lake, OK   Hugo Lake
$1,378,000      Washita Basin Project   
$1,330,000      Oklahoma City Bus Replacement, OK   Oklahoma City
$1,223,000      Skiatook Lake, OK   Skiatook Lake
$1,045,000      U.S. 169 Highway Widening Environmental Assessment, City of Owasso, OK   Owasso
$1,020,000      Pine Creek Lake, OK   Pine Creek Lake
$1,014,000      Waurika Lake, OK   
$951,500      Large Scale Application of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (OK)   
$870,000      Copan Lake, OK   Copan Lake
$846,000      Sardis Lake, OK   Sardis Lake
$713,625      OU Center for Biofuels Refining Engineering (OK)   
$713,625      The National Energy Policy Institute, University of Tulsa (OK)   Tulsa
$712,500      Bus Replacement, Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority, Oklahoma City, OK   Oklahoma City
$712,500      Sect. 5309 Capital Appropriation-Tulsa Transit, OK   Tulsa
$689,000      Fort Supply Lake, OK   Fort Supply Lake
$653,000      McGee Creek Project   Atoka County
$629,000      Wister Lake, OK   
$602,000      Birch Lake, OK   Birch Lake
$570,000      Reconstruction of the I-44 Bridge Over 163rd Street (Including the Interchange), Tulsa, OK   Tulsa
$515,000      Heyburn Lake, OK   Heyburn Lake
$506,000      Mountain Park Project   
$500,000      Ada Public Works Authority, Wastewater Lift Station   
$500,000      Beckham County Sheriff's Department Western Oklahoma Law Enforcement Alliance   Sayre
$500,000      Tulsa Public Schools Campus Police Force   Tulsa
$483,000      Scheduling Reservoir Operations, OK   
$476,000      East Central University, Ada, OK for curriculum development at the Economic Development Training and Education Center, including purchase of equipment   Ada
$475,000      Rural Enterprise Institute's Native American Rural Business and Resource Center at Eastern Oklahoma State College, Wilburton, OK   Wilburton
$475,000      Midwest City l-40/Hudiburg Drive Beatification, OK   
$463,000      W.C. Austin Project   
$457,000      Norman Project   
$442,000      Hulah Lake, OK   Hulah Lake
$438,000      Arcadia Lake, OK   Arcadia Lake
$427,500      Extend Falcon Road from Park Lane to Veterans Drive, Altus, OK   Altus
$381,000      Norman Regional Health System, Norman, OK for an electronic medical records initiative   Norman
$380,000      Reconstruction and Replacement of the I-244 Bridge over the Arkansas River, Tulsa, OK   Tulsa
$380,000      SW 9th Avenue Widening - Main St. to US69/75, Ourant, OK   
$350,000      University of Oklahoma National Weather Radar Testbed Phased Array Radar   Norman
$333,000      Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK for facilities and equipment   Oklahoma City
$333,000      Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK for purchase of equipment   Tulsa
$332,500      Elevated Railroad Track Project, Claremore, OK   Claremore
$311,000      Southeast Oklahoma Water Resource Study, OK   
$300,000      City of McAlester for water treatment plant rehabilitation project   
$300,000      Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Oklahoma Mobile Analysis Center   Oklahoma City
$285,450      Alternative Crops and Biofuel Production (OK)   
$285,000      Tulsa Public Schools, Tulsa, OK for curriculum development, to include the purchase of technology and equipment   Tulsa
$285,000      Mid-American Christian University, Oklahoma City, OK for a teacher training initiative   Oklahoma City
$285,000      Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK for purchase of equipment   Tulsa
$285,000      Native American Cultural and Educational Authority, Oklahoma City, OK to develop educational and cultural exhibits   Oklahoma City
$277,000      Arbuckle Project   
$274,000      Animal Waste Management, OK   
$238,000      Oklahoma State University, Okmulgee, OK for a wildlife technician program at the Okmulgee campus, which may include equipment   Okmulgee
$238,000      Pushmataha County Hospital, Antlers, OK for facilities and equipment   Antlers
$238,000      Great Salt Plains Lake, OK   Great Salt Plains Lake
$237,500      Oklahoma Automated Vehicle location System, Oklahoma City, OK   Oklahoma City
$237,500      St. John Medical Center - Broken Arrow Traffic Improvement, OK   
$223,000      Expanded Wheat Pasture, OK   
$200,000      Oklahoma Department of Safety Statewide Public Safety Communications System   Oklahoma City
$191,000      Washita River Basin, OK   
$190,000      Ada Public Works Authority, OK for construction of a water tower that will satisfy fire flow requirements for the Ada Industrial Development Corporation's business park and several new housing developments   Ada
$190,000      Ardmore Development Authority, City of Ardmore, OK for infrastructure improvements necessary to develop the Ardmore Technology Park   Ardmore
$190,000      Woodward Industrial Foundation, Woodward. OK for construction of a campus style, multi-purpose facility   Woodward
$190,000      Jenks Public Schools, Jenks, OK for curriculum development, to include the purchase of technology and equipment   Jenks
$190,000      Western Oklahoma State College, Altus, OK for equipment upgrades in nursing programs   Altus
$182,000      Grand Lake Comprehensive, OK   
$182,000      Oklahoma Investigations Program   
$177,000      Integrated Production Systems, OK   
$175,000      Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Inc. (REI) REI Business and Resource Center at Eastern Oklahoma State College   Durant
$174,000      Preservation and Processing Research, OK   
$164,000      Inspection of Completed Works, OK   
$152,000      Optima Lake, OK   Optima Lake
$150,000      City of Norman Public Safety Networking Initiative   Norman
$150,000      Children's Advocacy Centers of Oklahoma, Inc KidSafe Project   Ardmore
$150,000      Oklahoma department of Public Safety to continue replacement of Oklahoma's aging communication system   Oklahoma City
$150,000      To equip the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Forensic Institution   Edmond
$143,000      University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, for renovation and equipment   Norman
$143,000      Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Inc., Durant, OK for its Entrepreneurship Training program   Durant
$121,000      Central Oklahoma Master Conservatory District Feasibility Study   
$110,000      Pensacola Reservoir, Lake of the Cherokees, OK   Lake of the Cherokees
$100,000      Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for information-sharing within and between state and local law enforcement agencies   Oklahoma City
$100,000      PAS: Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan, OK   
$95,000      Downtown Revitalization (I-44 to 2nd Street), Lawton, OK   Lawton
$95,000      Traffic Light - Piedmont Road and Edmond Road, OK   
$95,000      City of Piedmont, OK for development of a comprehensive community development plan   Piedmont
$95,000      Redlands Community College, El Reno, OK for construction of a conference center   El Reno
$95,000      Seminole State College, Seminole, OK, for a distance learning program and technology upgrades, including the purchase of equipment   Seminole
$95,000      Western Oklahoma State College, Altus, OK, for technology upgrades, including the purchase of equipment   Altus
$95,000      Children's Medical Research Institute, Oklahoma City, OK, for renovation and equipment   Oklahoma City
$95,000      Mercy Memorial Health Center, Ardmore, OK, for construction, renovation and equipment   Ardmore
$65,000      Oklahoma Investigations Program, Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan   

[cannon_fodder]

Well, on the Oklahoma list there is some real pork  but also some projects that are properly the responsibility of the Federal Government (maintenance on the all the Corps lakes in Oklahoma).  But I would say (with no special knowledge) that the majority of things on that list are proper Federal spending.

About $80mil in lake projects.  All of which are FEDERALLY OWNED and CONTROLLED. Some of the bridges over those lakes are likewise federal (we'll build a bridge if we build the lake).  I have no problem with Federal dollars keeping Federal lakes from destroying nearby towns.

Some questions, anyone know about:

$951,500      Large Scale Application of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (OK)
$506,000      Mountain Park Project 
$463,000      W.C. Austin Project   

[Gaspar]

Well, on the Oklahoma list there is some real pork  but also some projects that are properly the responsibility of the Federal Government (maintenance on the all the Corps lakes in Oklahoma).  But I would say (with no special knowledge) that the majority of things on that list are proper Federal spending.

About $80mil in lake projects.  All of which are FEDERALLY OWNED and CONTROLLED. Some of the bridges over those lakes are likewise federal (we'll build a bridge if we build the lake).  I have no problem with Federal dollars keeping Federal lakes from destroying nearby towns.

Some questions, anyone know about:

$951,500      Large Scale Application of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (OK)
$506,000      Mountain Park Project 
$463,000      W.C. Austin Project   

General Description

The W. C. Austin (formerly Altus) Project is in southwestern Oklahoma. The project is designed to provide water for irrigation to approximately 48,000 acres of privately owned land in southwestern Oklahoma, flood control on the North Fork of the Red River, an augmented municipal water supply for the city of Altus, fish and wildlife conservation benefits, and recreation facilities. Project features include Altus Dam, the Main, Altus, West, and Ozark Canals, a 221-mile lateral distribution system, and 26 miles of drains.

Plan

The primary storage unit is Lake Altus, a reservoir formed by a dam across the North Fork of the Red River about 18 miles north of Altus, and by several earth dikes at low places in the reservoir rim. The Main Canal transports water from Lake Altus to the northern boundary of the project's irrigable land. The North Fork of the Red River is crossed about midway along the length of the Main Canal by means of a concrete siphon. The terminus of the Main Canal at the northern boundary of the project lands forms a bifurcation from which a 270-mile-long system of canals and laterals,( including the Main Canal), distributes the water. The city of Altus receives a municipal and industrial water supply from the project.

Unit descriptions and facilities

Altus Dam

Altus Dam is a concrete gravity, partially curved structure faced with granite masonry except on the downstream face of the overflow section. The dam is 110 feet above foundation and 1,104 feet long. It contains 70,200 cubic yards of concrete and masonry. Incorporated within the dam section are both controlled and uncontrolled overflow-type spillways and an irrigation outlet works which delivers water into the project canal system. The 58,000-cubic-foot-per-second spillway is regulated by nine radial gates. Lake Altus has a total capacity of 154,092 acre-feet, of which 1,663 acre-feet are dead storage, 19,597 acre-feet are flood control storage, and 132,832 acre-feet are conservation storage. The last 10,000 acre-feet of conservation storage is reserved for municipal water for Altus. Appurtenant reservoir structures are Lugert, East, North, and South Dikes, located at low places on the reservoir rim. Lugert Dike, the largest, is 4,245 feet long and has a maximum height of 45 feet.

Canal and Lateral System

Altus water is delivered into the 1,000-cubic-foot-per-second-capacity Main Canal, which transports the water 4.2 miles to the northern boundary of the project's irrigable lands. This canal crosses the North Fork of the Red River by means of a 10-foot 3-inch-diameter siphon, 1,920 feet long. Approximately 270 miles of canals and laterals, including the Main Canal, are required to serve project lands. The terminus of the Main Canal forms a bifurcation for diverting into the 21.7-mile Altus and the 11.1-mile West Canals, which serve the main delivery system. The 14.8-mile Ozark Canal branches off from Altus Canal.

[TURobY]

I'm a little disappointed that I don't see Boulder Avenue Bridge or Tulsa Regional Urban Rail Infrastructure in there...

[Cats Cats Cats]

Well, on the Oklahoma list there is some real pork  but also some projects that are properly the responsibility of the Federal Government (maintenance on the all the Corps lakes in Oklahoma).  But I would say (with no special knowledge) that the majority of things on that list are proper Federal spending.

About $80mil in lake projects.  All of which are FEDERALLY OWNED and CONTROLLED. Some of the bridges over those lakes are likewise federal (we'll build a bridge if we build the lake).  I have no problem with Federal dollars keeping Federal lakes from destroying nearby towns.

Some questions, anyone know about:

$951,500      Large Scale Application of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (OK)
$506,000      Mountain Park Project 
$463,000      W.C. Austin Project   

The reason why I listed out was to show that while you shouldn't "confuse the earmarks with the legitimate budgetary spending".  These "Pork" winners would also have a lot of "legitimate budgetary spending" involved.
 http://www.taxpayer.net/user_uploads/file/Appropriations/fy2009/FebOmnibus/FY2009%20Omnibus%20Earmarks%20v.2.xls
FYI
The following were not earmarks from any of our representatives but from the "President".



$277,000      Arbuckle Project
$653,000      McGee Creek Project
$506,000      Mountain Park Project
$457,000      Norman Project
$182,000      Oklahoma Investigations Program
$463,000      W.C. Austin Project
$1,378,000      Washita Basin Project

[sgrizzle]

I'm a little disappointed that I don't see Boulder Avenue Bridge or Tulsa Regional Urban Rail Infrastructure in there...

Boulder Bridge was partially covered by CoT 3rd Penny, remainder under the 5yr streets plan recently passed.

The Urban Rail was not "shovel ready" although they tried to get a few components in.

[TURobY]

Boulder Bridge was partially covered by CoT 3rd Penny, remainder under the 5yr streets plan recently passed.

The Urban Rail was not "shovel ready" although they tried to get a few components in.

Thanks for the info! I'm glad Boulder Bridge is being taken care of.

Still disappointed about the Urban Rail, but that will hopefully come in due time.