Federal earmark reform hits Harvest Farm finances

By Dan MacArthur
North Forty News

A $3.5 million expansion of Wellington's Harvest Farm rehabilitation center will be delayed due to the demise of controversial "earmarks" in last year's federal budget.

Of the $600,000 earmarked for the Denver Rescue Mission, which operates the Harvest Farm, $400,000 would have been applied toward expansion of the farm and its programs.

The money for the mission was among the millions earmarked for specific programs and projects across the state and billions nationwide. In Colorado, the earmarked money would have funded transportation projects, higher-education programs, airport improvements and renewable energy research, among others.

"It slows everything down. That was going to be an important piece," said Denver Rescue Mission president and chief executive officer Brad Meuli.

But he remained undeterred. After conferring with legislators, Meuli said that the mission expected to at least double its request this year.

Those earmarked funds went away when Congress adjourned without passing most appropriations bills. The new Democrat-controlled Congress agreed to extend temporary funding through the fall until it could implement reforms in the earmarking process in developing the 2008 federal budget.

Earmarking abuse became an issue in the last election with critics challenging them as pork-barrel, special-interest provisions stealthily inserted in spending bills by legislators catering to well-connected constituents.

"Everybody talks badly about earmarks," Meuli countered, "but this is how the legislators work."

He said $800,000 was earmarked and allocated to the rescue mission in 2005, although it has not yet received the money. Of that amount, $250,000 is allocated to expansion planning and septic system improvements at Harvest Farm.

Meuli said Rep. Marilyn Musgrave championed the appropriation through four different bills with the assistance of Rep. Diana DeGette and Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar. Meuli said he expects them to assist again this year.

"Basically, they want to support organizations that use the money wisely," he said.

The federal funds, Meuli said, would supplement the mission's capital campaign to raise funds for expansion of its downtown Denver facilities and Harvest Farm. The 100-acre farm helps men primarily from rural communities escape from addiction and poverty through programs lasting up to 27 months.

The funds, Meuli said, would be used to construct a new industrial building and a new counseling and education center. He said that expansion would enable the farm to remodel its dormitories to increase its capacity from 72 to 100 men.