Clark Co. (airport) lets itself get bit by federal "stimulus" funds

Uhhh, there were plenty of warnings about this. But free money is difficult to pass up.

About the only thing this will stimulate is anger...

Here's Ben Zion Hershberg in the C-J...

The Clark County Airport may need up to three times its usual funding from the county this year because of obligations generated by federal grant money.

But with the county now looking for ways to save $3 million from its 2010 budget — on top of a 30 percent budget cut just weeks ago — it may not be able to meet the airport's needs, said County Council President Jack Coffman.

The council holds most of county government's purse strings.

“The airport is not our priority right at this moment,” Coffman said, given that departments are facing the possibility of more budget cuts after an estimated 21 county positions, some of which were vacant, were eliminated at the end of December....

If county government can't provide the money, Conner said, with the expansion planning and land acquisition well under way, the county could end up being liable for millions of federal dollars already spent....