Richard Shelby places blanket holds on nominees

[TBird41]

Feb 9, 2010 17:19:33 GMT -5 The Stig said:

To be fair to Alaska, their underdeveloped infrastructure and extremely large territory means they need more federal money than your typical Lower 48 state.

Don't forget the fact that the Feds own 2/3 of Alaska. It's the only state that's majority owned by the Federal Gov't.

Alaska's heavy dependence on the Essential Air Service program is a good example (although I'm not sure it counts as an earmark).

It might. I know that the money for Alaska Native education is a considered an earmark b/c it doesn't go through the BIA and so it has to get its own line item / be asked for by the Alaska Delegation.

[kchoya]

Feb 9, 2010 17:24:24 GMT -5 TBird41 said:

Feb 9, 2010 17:19:33 GMT -5 The Stig said:

To be fair to Alaska, their underdeveloped infrastructure and extremely large territory means they need more federal money than your typical Lower 48 state.

Don't forget the fact that the Feds own 2/3 of Alaska. It's the only state that's majority owned by the Federal Gov't.

Alaska's heavy dependence on the Essential Air Service program is a good example (although I'm not sure it counts as an earmark).

It might. I know that the money for Alaska Native education is a considered an earmark b/c it doesn't go through the BIA and so it has to get its own line item / be asked for by the Alaska Delegation.

Also, big western states like Montana will have skewed per capita numbers because of low populations but, for example, lots of highways that get federal funds.