From Forbes (MO.):
Missouri agrees to stimulus construction list, but says not to fund it
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri lawmakers agreed to a system for deciding what to build using the federal stimulus package Tuesday, but only after ensuring the resulting project list isn’t considered an endorsement of the projects.
It means the proposal is more an example of how construction plans can be evaluated than a document that will directly guide state planning on what projects to complete.
“Put it on the shelf and let it gather dust,” said Wildberger, D-St. Joseph.
A House and Senate joint committee spent the summer evaluating possible construction projects that could be funded using the federal money and approved a report Tuesday detailing about $1 billion worth of proposals that were roughly ranked according to their priority. But lawmakers only approved the report after stipulating that the plan wasn’t a recommendation that the projects should actually be funded.
Several senators – including the Appropriations Committee chairman who has significant influence on budget issues – said they were concerned approving a project list could appear to be a recommendation that the proposals receive money. State revenues declined last year and are still falling, and many lawmakers are skeptical there will be money for capital improvement projects…..
The projects outlined in the report were broken into four groups with about $250 million worth of construction in each category….
