"This is Bad, Filthy Money, Folks": Ohio's Warren County Flips Off Feds, Rejects Stimulus Dollars
In a far-flung corner of the empire (near Toledo, no less!), in a galaxy a long, long time ago, the rebellion beginneth:
Warren County commissioners say they don't want more than $2 million in federal stimulus funds offered to the county to pay for transit and "green" projects.
The county refused to take $373,000 set aside by the Ohio Department of Transportation to purchase three shuttle vans for the county transit program and a computer-based program to schedule rides requested by residents.
"This is bad, filthy money, folks," Commissioner Mike Kilburn said March 17, when the commissioners voted unanimously not to accept transit dollars. "This is money we don't have."…
Kilburn went further: "Stop spending money you don't have and start being accountable to the taxpayers. God only asked for 10%, why do the politicians in Washington D.C. think they deserve more than 40%?" …
"If we want it that bad, we'll do it on our own," Warren County Commissioner David Young said Tuesday. "I don't think people understand how much money we are talking about here."…
According to Young, a representative from Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown's office called the Warren County's clerk of commissioners about a month ago and announced: "Congrats, you get $1.8 million."
"I told her (the clerk) to call them back and tell them we don't want it; we didn't apply for it; is there any way of literally not borrowing this money?" Young said.
Young reportedly doesn't only want Warren County to reject the $$$; he wants the feds to use it to retire the national debt.
More here, from the AP via the Cincy Enquirer (Hat tip: Dan Hayes).
Related: Ohio, like 31 other states, actually gets more from the federal government than it sends there in all taxes. According to the Tax Foundation using data from fiscal year 2005, the Buckeye State pulls in $1.05 for every buck mailed to D.C. And it's a theme we've hit on before, but many of the bluest of blue states (New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts) are the ones getting screwed on that money flow.
