White House: Stimulus can't pay for Va. Beach sand

'Nuff said, let's figure out how to do some things on our own.

Good for the Feds. Money spent on beach replenishment would not add anyone to the working class. Corps of Engineer vessels, or other already working dredges move the sand to the beach, city staff move the sand with existing equipment. What new jobs? Improved infrastructure? With beach replenisment, it needs to be accomplished every year or couple of years. Not a good way to spend cash these days. Removing all of the utility poles along Atlantic Avenue north of the Caviler and place them all in readily accessible underground vaults in the median or shoulder roadway would employ dozens/hundreds and would be a permenant and truly beneficial improvement that would last for many many decades. The CoVB cast its own fate by allowing development across and atop the dunes across the Resort Area, Croatan and Sandbridge. Maybe if enough sand was placed on the beach, perhaps the goofy birds from the OBX will start to nest along the Resort area requiring closure to all and we can all go down to the OBX and really enjoy the beaches again, w/ free parking too!

A local tax on businesses that benefit from tourists is a great idea for paying for beach replenishment. Let's not forget the homeowners that live right behind the beaches too. Trying to say that everyone benefits from beach replenishment is like trying to say that everyone benefits from expensive golf courses. Let those that benefit and use them the most, pay for the replenishment.

We should be not surprised with the hypocritical responses of some people. Blame the Obama administration, really? These are the same people that if they saw a CNN article on federal funding of sand replenishment in Myrtle Beach would decry it as pork politics. I say these cranks are getting their just desserts. Sand in your cupcake--let the hotels and hotel owners pick up the slack.

Let the Laskin Road "Gateway" developers pay, after all they stand to gain the most from marketable beaches.

Whether something is beneficial or not doesn't matter to some of the responders. They write 'crank letters' pooh-poohing anything----ANYTHING!

Maybe if we renamed it the " John Murtha Memorial Beach " we could get some stimulus money!

If Va Beach leaders were smart, they'd quit rousting the homeless & illegals & let 'em camp right there on the beach.

Then Obama wouldn't be able to whip out his Carte Blanche fast enough; they'd have to construct a pipeline (hey, even more jobs!) to handle all the floose flowing in.

to the hotel owners and developers from both sides of Atlantic Ave and Pacifis Ave since they are advertising "beach fun in the sun and sand" to the tourists. And profiting from their efforts. It's MARKETING! You keep the sand coming and you keep the beaches full.

...oh darn....now what will we do?...you know if you made the resort strip LOCAL friendly...you could have a few citizens pitch'n in here...but alas...we are not allowed.

So, can we determine tax money taken out of Virginia Beach cannot be used to fund various federal government projects?

The Beach officials shouldn't be surprised at the "White House's" decision not to give so-called stimulus money for sand replenishment. That money is only doled out when the giving of it will guarantee Obama's control over the beneficiary. The fact that beach improvement would lead to increased tourism which would lead to money flowing into the city (and regional) economy, Which would lead to more jobs, which would lead to LESS need for federal subsidies (which I thought was a GOOD thing all the way around) just makes too much sense for the present administration to agree to contribute some of those "stimulus"funds. Not to mention that increased beach width would also serve as a larger buffer in case of a hurricane- potentially PREVENTING the need for federal money in the form of FEMA payments.
Just another example of what a bunch of LIARS Obama and his administraion are.

It's time to let nature take what she wants and quit robbing the tax payers to keep sand on a beach that shouldn't be there. The tree huggers should be protesting these sand replenishment projects as they are damaging the environment.

Those silly Beach officials.

Don't they know stimulus money is for unemployment for part-timers.

Actual, it's out of control.
My points are that:
- this 'stimulus' plan has little, if any, constitutional basis;
- this 'stimulus' doesn't shift into second gear until 2010. Just in time for the primaries and elections for politicians to claim "Look what I did" thereby limiting the "Yeah, but look at what you didn't do".
- why should tax dollars from the other 49 states and territories, or money borrowed from other countries, be given or loaned to VA for beach sand?

Last year Field and Stream had an article about failed government jobs replenishing beach sand in North or South Carolina.

some common sense. The ocean front is for the tourists...let them pay for it in increased hotel taxes.

Just add a small tax to all lodging rates on Pacific and Atlantic Avenues, say 2 percent as a sand tax. Let the tourists help pay for some of it as the area is no longer for locals anyway.