Congressional stopgap budget puts funding for Central Coast projects ‘in limbo.’ Here’s which
A stopgap funding measure proposed in Congress this week would hold up $14 million in funding for Central Coast projects.
The stopgap, unveiled in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, would prevent a government shutdown by pushing the deadline for this fiscal year’s funding to the spring of 2025, delaying new funding of local projects at least until then.
Funding for existing programs would continue at the fiscal year 2024 levels through March 14, and any new funding would require a new funding agreement for fiscal year 2025.
With the stopgap, it is uncertain when that could be reached.
In a news release, Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-24), whose district includes San Luis Obispo County, called out House Republicans for “dragging their feet” on finalizing government funding for the current fiscal year.
The funding bills would leave more than $14 million across 15 different Central Coast projects in limbo, the release said.
“Republican leadership in Congress has spent months prioritizing culture war poison pills over governing, refusing to work across the aisle to reach a funding deal for this year,” Carbajal said. “These needless delays have real impacts on the Central Coast.”
In San Luis Obispo County, the shelved funding includes $2.45 million for new fire stations in Santa Margarita and nearby Santa Maria, $2 million for storm drain resiliency in Morro Bay, over $4 million to the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments’ for the Shell Beach Road path project and more.
“The funding in limbo will help build new fire stations, renovate public spaces and improve education and public safety in our region,” Carbajal said. “I urge my colleagues to drop the extremism that has caused these delays and reengage with House Democrats so we can finalize the funding levels for a fiscal year that we’re already one-fourth through.”
According to the release, Carbajal has previously secured over $50 million in federal funding for 37 Central Coast projects in the past three years, including $2 million for the renovations to the Anderson Hotel in San Luis Obispo and $543,000 for public safety upgrades for the city of Grover Beach.
