Stimulus Request didn’t Meet Criteria

In early January, officials with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) contacted the City of Apalachicola requesting that the city create and submit a list of so-called “shovel ready” transportation projects for funding consideration through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The city created and submitted such a list requesting $1 million dollars in stimulus funds to fund a citywide road-paving project, which included the paving of existing dirt roads and resurfacing others. The city also requested improvements at the intersection of U.S. Highway 98 and Market Street, along with the adjoining multi-step curbing along U.S. Highway 98.

On March 25, the city received word back from the FDOT stating that the city’s submission did not meet existing Federal highway guidelines nor did our projects meet FDOT’s priority list.

Apparently, when the U.S. Congress passed the measure aimed at jump-starting the economy they did so without including any criteria or rules governing the expenditure of funds.

As a result, the FDOT had to rely upon existing guidelines that inadvertently excludes small rural communities from obtaining stimulus dollars for local transportation projects.

Why not fund soup kitchens instead!

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which goal is to stop the U.S. economy from worsening passed the House in late January but now faces severe cuts in the Senate that could render the purpose of the bill ineffective.

Before lending their support to the bill, some key Senators from both parties have proposed cutting $40 billion set aside in the House version of the bill for aid to state and local governments.

Funding without a doubt that Florida could utilize to deal with its $2.3 billion budget shortfall and Franklin County to address its mounting fiscal concerns. Not to mention funding the City of Apalachicola could use to put toward much needed infrastructure improvements, such as expanding sewer services to areas of the city without such services.

State and local governments want be the only ones to suffer due to Congress inability to work together to repair the failing economy. In addition, slated for cuts are funding proposed for education, which includes $85 billion for school construction and another $19 billion for teacher salaries and for intuitions of higher learning. With the United States falling behind other countries in education, one would think that funding such would be a priority.

However, the intent of the stimulus is to infuse the national economy with new cash in order to save jobs, and prevent the necessity for further cuts in local services or increases in local taxes. If the legislation currently under consideration by Congress fails to meet these objectives, then don’t pass it.

As an alternative, Congress could consider passing a bill that funds the construction of homeless shelters, complete with state of the art soup kitchens and additional prisons for the people that the shelters have to turn away.

At the rate things are going, I’m sure we are going to need them.

Boyd voted no for Stimulus

U.S. Congressman Allen Boyd (D) voted against the economic stimulus package also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Although Boyd voted nay, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the $819 billion measure January 28 during the first session of the 111th Congress by a vote of 244-188. The bill is now under consideration in the U.S Senate.

The purpose of the Act in part is to preserve and create jobs, promote economic recovery and stabilize state and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and increases in state and local taxes.

According to a press release on Boyd’s official website, he questioned whether the package would create jobs or strengthen the economy in the short or long term. Boyd also questioned the actual price tag of the stimulus, citing that to fund the plan the government would have to borrow the money, which would add an estimated $347 billion in interest payments to service the debt, which could end up costing taxpayers $1.2 trillion.

In President Barack Obama weekly address, the President urged prompt passage of the stimulus package, citing recent statistics showing continuing deterioration in the national economy. He stated that the economy has shrunk by nearly 4 percent from October through December, the largest decline in over a quarter century, which has brought on a loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the month of January alone.

The President further stated that the measure the House passed will save or create more than 3 million jobs, put a tax cut into the pockets of working families, and place a down payment on America's future by investing in energy independence, education, affordable health care, and infrastructure.

Apalachicola’s Stimulus Request List

City Administrator Betty Taylor-Webb has compiled and submitted to our Congressional Representatives an extensive list of potential city projects for funding through the $819 billion economic stimulus package passed by the U.S. House of Representative on Wednesday, January 28. To qualify during the initial funding cycle government agencies must have projects ready to bid in order to provide immediate jobs for workers affected by the downturn in the economy.

The city’s list of project totals $13,150,000 and includes the following:

Community Facilities Infrastructure
*$1,750,000 – To help fund the establishment of two Multi-Use Community Centers, which includes the renovation of Apalachicola High School to use as a Community/Activity Center and the renovation of the Historic Holy Family Catholic School building for use as a Senior/Cultural Center.
*$1,500,000 – To help fund the renovation of the old Family Dollar Store to serve as an Emergency Response Complex to house the Fire/Police Departments and Emergency Operations.

Utility Service Infrastructure
*$700,000 – To expand sewer services to areas of the city not currently served and the removal of septic tanks from the property of homes connected to the expanded service.
*$650,000 – For improvements to the wastewater collection system needed to accommodate the sewer expansion.
*$1,500,000 – To help fund the construction of the proposed Wastewater Reuse Reclamation System, the system will enable the city to remove wastewater effluent from surface water discharge.
*$1,400,000 – To fund upgrades to the existing Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility in order to improve the reliability of the Wastewater Reuse Reclamation System once installation is complete.
*$1,550,000 – To expand the proposed Wastewater Reuse Reclamation System to offer reuse services to the broader community.
*$3,100,000 – The total amount needed to fund critical improvements to the following Storm Water Management systems: Site 1: Cato Drive Drainage System - $350,000; Site 2: US 98 at 16th Street Storm Water Quality Improvements - $1,500,000; Site 3: Avenue I Storm Water Treatment - $950,000 and; Site 4: Avenue F and Water Street Storm Water Treatment - $300,000.

Transportation Infrastructure
*$1,000,000 – To fund a road-paving project throughout the City of Apalachicola which would consist of paving existing dirt roads and resurfacing others. We have also requested improvements at the intersection of U.S. Highway 98 and Market Street, along with the adjoining multi-step curbing along U.S. Highway 98.

Local Transportation Stimulus Projects

Received via electronic mail Friday from Greg Vickery, District Three Communications Coordinator for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on behalf of Larry F. Kelly the District Secretary was information concerning the economic stimulus package currently under consideration by President-elect Barack Obama and Congress.

The FDOT officials are requesting local governments to begin developing a list of transportation infrastructure projects that will aide in the creation of immediate jobs to help stimulate the economy. They are looking to approve for funding projects that can be let-to-contract within approximately 120 days after congress passes the bill authorizing the stimulus package.

To be eligible local governments must meet the following four criteria:

(1) Plans or design/build criteria package must be complete;

(2) All permits must be in-hand;

(3) All acquired rights-of-way must comply with the Right-of-Way Uniform Act; and

(4) Pursuant to the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), all federal environmental studies, and documents must be completed and approved.

In the email, FDOT officials stated that they are concentrating this effort with county government. However, cities are free to include any projects they wish. They further stated that the list of projects be submitted by January 30, so that they may review the list and contact local governments for finalization and clarification.

In addition, they cautioned only those projects that are production-ready and have completed the environmental review would probably be included at this point.

Obama is pushing Congress to pass his $800 billion economic stimulus package to help jump-start the national economy right after he takes office on inauguration day January 20.