The temporary spending plan the federal government passed earlier this month may have kept lights on in Washington, but it also snuffed out millions in federal dollars for the Austin area.
Congressional Democrats Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar had proposed $60 million in federal money for projects across Central and South Texas. Republicans' stopgap plan to keep the government open through September cut some social programs and boosted defense funding, but didn't fund any of these community projects.
Rep. Doggett told KUT some of his priorities included using federal dollars to finish the Waterloo Greenway expansion, along with money for security improvements at the SAFE Alliance's shelter at Rathgeber Village, which helps families and youth fleeing domestic violence.
Doggett said the temporary spending bills, known as continuing resolutions, used to be a last-ditch effort, but now they've become commonplace.
"All of my projects and those of all other Congress members are lost," Doggett said. "I hope we'll be able to reapply for them next year, but like so much of our government ... [we're] just limping along from one resolution to another. We have some real problems.”
All told, the City of Austin would've received just shy of $10 million in funding. Over the past few years it's received more than $23 million for projects.
Casar's list of projects to get funding included a new $5-million food bank in San Marcos, which is experiencing an increase in demand, as well as $1.1 million to expand Camp Esperanza, a tiny-home village on 5 acres of state-owned land that serves people transitioning out of homelessness.
