"Earmarking" is the term used to refer to a provision in legislation that directs funds to be spent on specific projects. Typically, legislators seek to insert earmarks which direct a specified amount of money to a particular organization or project in his/her home state or district.
This definition comes from one of the hundreds of websites dealing with what has become a major issue for taxpayers. Earmarks appear to have originated in 1817 at the federal level when funds were specifically dedicated to a stretch of highway in South Carolina. Now, earmarks are everywhere and used by most at the national and state levels.
Wisconsin, as you would suspect, is no exception. Talkers and Bloggers have been on this issue for some time now reciting how much has been dedicated to this project or that project. Most such projects seem to be on the frivolous side, while others appear to be, simply, unnecessary.
Our Governor has resorted to earmarks to obtain votes on bills near and dear to his heart.. Our legislators have resorted to earmarks to gain votes back in the home district in order to stay in office. Some of us voters like the earmarks when they hit a favorite cause or 'need'. If you were a bicyclist in West Allis, you'd probably be pretty happy with this budget since many tens of thousands of dollars are 'earmarked' for a bike path or trail. If you're not fond of bicycling, you may simply ignore this expenditure or grouse about it and forget it by the next week.
We're also going to pave a parking lot for a township someplace, and we're going to expand a highway that doesn't need that for another ten years, and on and on.
The new budget for Wisconsin literally contains tens of millions of dollars for earmarks. Those are your dollars and they're my dollars. Why aren't we more aroused over this travesty? Why are we willing to permit others to increase our taxes (or to fail to reduce spending) when this level of waste is rampant?
Every so often, it seems there is talk of ending earmarks. That is, so far, all there has been...talk.
Isn't it finally time for action? Aren't we finally at the end of our rope? Isn't there more than enough waste in the budget without adding to it with earmarks?
