Akron's Filthy Lucre

According to yesterday's BJ (yes, I know. It was a hard day) the Akron area raked in serious highway funds in the recently passed Federal transportation bill.

Given that highway bills are traditionally porkfests and given that the recent CAFTA vote was notable for politicking, arm twisting and pork bribing, one has to wonder where the money came from. Brown and Ryan -- both famously protectionists -- voted against the bill. My suspicion is that we can thank Steve LaTourette.

LaTourette changed his vote very very late in the game to provide the apparent margin of victory (at least he prevented the North Carolina ghost vote from being determinative.) By my reading of this map, his district probably includes or at least is influenced by the project in Stow. Voinovich and DeWine are taking credit for the projects, but given the timing of LaTourette's switch, you gotta wonder.

So let's enjoy our new transportation hubs as we watch more manufacturing jobs move south. Thanks, Steve.