The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that it is providing the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and the Kansas City International Airport with $4.9 million and $7 million respectively in federal grant money funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The money is being provided through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program to rehabilitate airport taxiways.
To read the grant notifications from DOT, click here for Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and click here for the Kansas City International Airport.
Funding to states and localities through the economic recovery package will be allocated through existing federal programs like these, rather than earmarks, in order to ensure prompt distribution and better accountability. Local projects receive funds from these grants by following the process set up by each program.
Senator Claire McCaskill says she believes that federal grants and loans are a positive alternative to earmarks.
Oh dear, Claire. It’s great that the DOT doled out some money to the city, but you can’t always count on unelected technocrats to prioritize funding for every project in the country. Earmarks are on balance a good thing.
Posted by Clark | 22. Mar, 2009, 5:47 PMThis has Paul Mckee’s hands all over it. He is doing a redev project at and near Lambert. Also 7million is going to the Tucker viaduct he owns the tunnel underneth. Not to mention the 11 project who pushed for the Page extention you got it. Watchdogs ruffruff?
Posted by s r | 23. Mar, 2009, 11:47 AMexcuse me not 11 141.
Posted by s r | 23. Mar, 2009, 11:49 AMis there any possibility that some of that money could possibly go to Metro (you know, the bus service) since it’s about to put a lot of people out of work by cutting off quite a lot of service to the far reaches of West county?
I don’t work out that way, but I still think it’s a shame that this is happening!
and what’s up with no more buses going into downtown?
Posted by Diane L. | 23. Mar, 2009, 7:59 PMClaire wated all her time shilling for Obama and he stiffs her on the bus dough. Pitiful.
Posted by flyover | 25. Mar, 2009, 5:46 PM