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Apr 11, 2008 7:13 pm US/Eastern
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N.Y.'s Pork Barrel Spending Sure To Spark Outrage
Everything From Onion Research To Funding For 'Men Of Exquisite Taste' Get Slice Of $200 Million In Tax Dollars
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
The economy is going south and budget and tax hikes abound. But somehow New York lawmakers found $200 million for pork barrel spending.
CBS 2 HD has the breakdown where some of your tax dollars are going.
The Doll and Toy Museum of New York City doesn't have its own space. The toys in the five cases at the Brooklyn Public Library are currently its only exhibit.
"Our goal is to build a relevant collection of historic dolls and toys," said Marlene Hochman, executive director of museum.
State lawmakers are helping the group with a $2,500 pork barrel grant. Hochman says she could use more.
"It's a little grant but we're appreciative," Hochman said. "It costs a lot of money to set up an exhibit. You have a curator. You have exhibit expenses. The $2,500 gets eaten up pretty quickly."
The Doll and Toy Museum is just one of hundreds of pork barrel projects larded into the just-completed state budget.
At a time of fiscal crisis in New York, lawmakers gave:
* $98,000 to Cornell University for onion research
* $150,000 to the Long Island synchronized swim team
* $5,000 to the Women of Color Quilters Network
* $150,000 to the Syracuse Charges rowing club.
* $5,000 to a group called Men of Exquisite Taste. It's unclear what the group does.
"Most of these expenditures, 99 percent can't be justified," said E. J. McMahon, director of Manhattan Institute's Empire Center for New York State Policy.
McMahon charges that it's a slush fund to help lawmakers get re-elected.
"This is like a form of private philanthropy," McMahon said. "This is a way for every legislator to be like Bill Gates. They've got their own foundation and they're passing out checks to people. They think it helps them get re-elected."
Added Conservative Party chairman Michael Long: "It's bribery, that's what it is, and it's not their money. It's the taxpayers' money and there should be a clear tax revolt.
"It's unconscionable that they feel they have the right and the obligation to fund for such ridiculous organizations on the side so they can get re-elected."
So far there's no way for the public to find out where all of the $200 million is going and which lawmaker is responsible. But Albany sources tell CBS 2 HD the full list will be published on the Senate and Assembly Web sites "soon."
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