Thread: Our Crooked Congress

A Congressman’s $10 Million Gift for Road Is Rebuffed

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: August 18, 2007

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 — It is not often that a local government tries to turn down $10 million in federal construction money.

But then it is not every day that an Alaska congressman surprises a Florida community with the gift of a highway interchange that just happens to abut the property of a major political fund-raiser.

The money for the interchange was the work of Representative Don Young, the Alaska Republican who was chairman of the transportation committee before the last election.

Officials of Lee County considered the project a low priority, environmental groups opposed it and the Republican congressman from the district never asked for it.

But the interchange, on Interstate 75 at a place called Coconut Road, would be a boon to Daniel J. Aronoff, a Michigan real estate developer with adjacent property who helped raise $40,000 in donations to Mr. Young at a fund-raiser in the region shortly before Mr. Young inserted an earmark for the project in a transportation bill.

The connections were too much for the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization, said Carla Johnston, its chairwoman and a Democrat.

On Friday, the members of the organization voted overwhelmingly to return the money in the hope that Congress would let them spend it elsewhere in the county.

Adding to the intrigue, a researcher commissioned by Ms. Johnston said Mr. Young had added the earmark for the interchange to a transportation bill after both chambers of Congress had approved it, at a time Congressional aides were cleaning up the bill for President Bush’s signature.

[b]“People were really highly outraged at the process,â€

Road congestion is so bad here in SW Florida we are hoping the money can be used to help widen the interstate from 6 lanes to 10 as it takes us ,during season.up to 2 hrs to go 20 to 30 miles on the interstate.

I applaud our local officials for nabbing this earmark and exposing it.

Crooked Stuff happens here in South West Florida. Lee County / Collier County has way to many people with money and way to much influence. I used to live off of Coconut road and there is absolutly no need for an on / off ramp other than several high communities and the Ritz hotel.

There is an on / off ramp 2.5 miles North and another 4.5 miles south of these high end communities and the Ritz hotel .... hmmmm sounds flaky at the very best

Now why would an Alaskan Congressman want to give a Florida City an on / off ramp

My guess is that this individual or a contributor to his campaign bought some property or some high end homes that go from the cheapest 500,000 and on the high end that go for mega millions.... these homes are loosing value here in South West Florida... the Housing market is dropping like a rock and just about every 4th or 5th home is up for sale. Sellers are panicing and people are loosing the shirts off of thier backs and this guy wants the niceties to draw buyers... just a guess

Currently I live 1 exits down from from Bonita Beach Road... the southern road and on and off ramp I talked about

You tell me.... Money corrupts people ... but when politicians spend my money to support a friend..... Its time for a corruption investigation and its time for someone to go to jail

Crooked is right. I can only think of a dozen who are not in my opinion.

Let's clean houses .

Originally Posted by saveourcountry

Crooked is right. I can only think of a dozen who are not in my opinion.

Let's clean houses .

A dozen? Oh, that sounds way to high to me.