Most lawmakers apply for $100,000 in funding

Democrats have supported allowing each representative a chance to request money to be spent on local governments or nonprofit groups. The projects must be voted up or down individually by a committee and agreed upon by the Senate, which has its own plan.

House Finance Chairman Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley, announced the number of requests his committee received by Thursday?s deadline, starting an impromptu debate among House members on the floor.

Both of Warren County?s representatives, Charles Curtiss and Judd Matheny, have spoken in favor of allowing lawmakers to have $100,000 to spend in their districts.

?Helping volunteer fire departments and senior centers, those aren?t pet projects,? said Curtiss. ?It?s a good way for us to help people in our district.?

Several Republican lawmakers have called the plan pork-barrel spending. Some Democratic lawmakers said that the fact that only six lawmakers are declining participation in the program suggests that some Republicans are being hypocritical by vocally opposing the plan, but still asking for money for their own local projects.

?It?s wanting to have your cake and eat it, too,? Rep. Rob Briley, D-Nashville, said.

House Minority Leader Jason Mumpower, R-Bristol, said that once it became clear the representatives who were against the local projects would be overridden, many Republicans chose to file their project requests.

Senate Republicans instead want to set up a pool of money from which specific local projects could apply for grants.

Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, said his decision to request the funds despite opposing the spending was similar to his feelings about the Tennessee Lottery. He said he didn’t support the lottery, but his sons have taken advantage of the college scholarships funded by lottery revenues.

“There are many occasions when appropriation bills I am against pass. When they pass, my county participates in those. It doesn’t mean I agree with it,” he said.

Rep. Larry Miller, D-Memphis, criticized that reasoning.

?One member talked about the lottery and that he was opposed to the lottery … and yet he hopes his son benefits from that program,? he said. ?To me, that sounds like the highest hypocrisy.?