White House balks at bill with Banks $$

Remember the Water Resources Development Act? The one with a $25 million authorization for the downtown Cincinnati riverfront park to go with the Banks development? The one that Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Miami Township, voted for while Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, and Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, didn't?

Ahh. That bill. The one Chabot and Boehner derided as being full of so-called pork projects.

Well, it turns out the Bush administration thinks so too.

A statement put out Friday by the White House budget office says the bill would have a "significant overall cost," to the tune of at least $15 billion.

"Although many of the projects authorized by the bill have undergone a merit-based review, there are many others that have not, and therefore may be wasteful spending," the statement said.

It continues: "In a time when fiscal restraint is much needed, the additional spending authorized in this bill, such as provisions for local wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects, is unacceptable."

The White House budget office – yes, that would be the same office headed by Terrace Park's own Rob Portman – said in its statement that it "strongly opposes" the bill.

So put Portman down next to Chabot and Boehner for opposing the bill with the Banks money.