Kline's earmark stance has two counties feeling left out

There's nothing ambiguous about U.S. Rep. John Kline's position on earmarks.

He won't ask for them. He has proclaimed it on television, in campaign forums and online.

But the anti-earmark stand, which the Lakeville Republican has held since 2007, has caused consternation locally as officials in his south-metro district try to pin down money for their needs, particularly roads and transit.

In Dakota County, the frustration bubbled to the surface this month after Kline didn't attend a meeting with County Board members who visited his Washington office during a conference. They wanted to discuss their legislative priorities and talk about whether Kline would help find funding for the county's marquee transit project: bus rapid transit on Cedar Avenue.

The bus project, touted as light rail on rubber wheels, is about $12 million short of the $76 million needed for its first phase, set to open in 2011.

"He seems to manage to avoid talking to us about it," said Nancy Schouweiler, a County Board member, after returning from the trip. She said Kline's absence went unexplained, and the board met with his staff instead. "It was a very disappointing meeting," she said.

Kline said this week he was called away for a meeting of the House intelligence committee and a subcommittee hearing.

Fellow board member Liz Workman agreed, although she was quick to add that she respects Kline's stance. "When you're not the kid getting all the toys, it's frustrating," she said.

Kline, elected in 2002, accepted earmarks for the first few years of his congressional career before adopting his hard line against them. His champions applaud his efforts to stop pork-barrel spending based on congressional seniority and clout instead of the projects' merit. His critics point out that he opted out of the earmarks grab after his party lost control of the U.S. House.

The use of "earmarks" -- funding for specific projects identified by members of Congress -- has drawn increasing criticism in recent years, and President Obama and Sen. John McCain spoke out against them on the campaign trail. Kline is one of nearly 50 congressional representatives who have said they will not ask for earmarks.

"The system is so broken, it is so corrupting, it is so unfair that I am not going to request earmarks until we can fix it," Kline said. "I would be competing in a corrupt system for virtual crumbs."

Scrambling for funds

Kline and others helped direct nearly $10 million toward the project through an authorization in the 2005 federal transportation bill. The project also collected $13.6 million of federal money doled out by the state and $8.8 million in Urban Partnership Agreement grants, drawing from a pot of money that became available when Congress opted not to earmark the federal Department of Transportation's discretionary funds.

Construction has started on some of the stations along Cedar, and the first phase is supposed to launch in 2011. The $12 million yet to be secured is to cover the cost of a dedicated bus lane from 140th Street in Apple Valley to 181st Street in Lakeville. The county is also seeking money from the Legislature.

After federal and state resources are exhausted, the county will turn to the multi-county fund that collects a quarter-cent sales tax for transit.

Scott County officials, who were also unable to meet with Kline in Washington, also worry that they may miss an opportunity to land much-needed federal funding.

"I totally appreciate Congressman Kline's position, especially now when we have massive government waste and all these pet projects," Scott County Board Chairman Jon Ulrich said. "On the other hand, we have very important projects that are critical transportation infrastructure -- not frivolous at all -- that we are looking for funding help for."

"I am more than willing and able to weigh in and help steer projects and effort into the district, but I will not do it by earmarking money," Kline said.