Funding bill eliminates nearly $111M earmarked for LI projects

WASHINGTON — Franklin Square Public Library Director Aviva Kane said that after years of working on a plan to replace the leaky roof and cumbersome heating and air conditioning units, she finally found a way: a $3 million congressional earmark.

But that godsend vanished after Congress passed a spending bill Friday to keep the government open for the rest of this year that eliminated funding for all of the purposes earmarked by lawmakers, including 54 of them worth nearly $111 million secured by Long Island’s four House members.

"We were hoping for federal grant monies in order to help the local taxpayers here," Kane said in a phone interview. "So now we have to go back to the drawing board and try to figure out how we can fund this project and whether or not the public will be able to assist us."

That disappointment spread to many villages, towns, police and fire departments, water and sewage districts and drivers on roads and bridges that need repairs or upgrades after House Republicans cut the earmarks from the bill and the Senate passed it.

House Republicans did not fund the $13 billion in federal earmarks while President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk slash funding and fire federal employees in a campaign to cut the federal deficit and shrink government.

Last year, three Long Island congressmen won $87 million for 52 projects earmarked for local projects, and the federal funds for them already have been released to beneficiaries in local governments, nonprofits and other recipients.

Earmarks, however, have many critics. Tom Schatz, president of the Washington-based Citizens Against Government Waste, last year told Newsday, "Earmarks are one of the most corrupt, costly and inequitable practices in history."

Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) disagreed and said earmarks do not add additional money but allow lawmakers, instead of a bureaucrat in Washington, to direct federal spending in their districts after consulting with local leaders and groups.

For the most recent round of earmarks, Garbarino had won approval of eight projects totaling nearly $32 million, including $15.5 million for improving Islip Road. But he voted for the spending bill that eliminated earmark funding, formally known as Community Project Funding (CPF).

"Preventing a government shutdown is imperative," he said in a statement to Newsday.

"While I am disappointed that an agreement was not reached to include Community Project Funding, I’m proud to have secured more than $65 million in CPF requests for NY-02 during my time in Congress," he said.

Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) inherited and supported 16 earmarks totaling about $32 million by the congressman she defeated in the election last year, former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park).

Among those earmarks were the funds for the Franklin Square Public Library and $7.1 million for the demolition of the Cooper Square Garage in the Village of Hempstead.

Gillen, who voted against the spending bill, called it "a bad deal for Nassau County." In a statement, she said that it would cut "direct support to my district, including funding that helps our law enforcement agencies and fire departments keep Long Islanders safe."

Most of the 15 earmarks totaling a little more than $16 million that Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) proposed aimed to improve water and sewage facilities, including $2.5 million for the East Beach Drive drainage project. He also voted against the spending bill.

"It’s unfortunate," Suozzi said in a statement to Newsday. "Our local police, clean water agencies and municipalities were counting on this help. Now, like so many others, they are having the rug pulled out from under them."

Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville), a member of the House Appropriations Committee that approves earmarks, had secured 15 earmarks totaling about $30 million. His biggest earmark was for $10 million to replace the Montauk Highway Bridge. He also voted for the spending bill.

He did not respond to a request for comment.

CORRECTION: Fifty-two projects earmarked by Long Island congressmen and New York senators in last year’s appropriation bill, totaling $87 million, will continue forward. Future appropriations bills will not include such community project funds under the terms of the continuing resolution. A previous version of this story stated incorrectly that the 52 projects would be canceled.