Vermont's Pork Free Diet

Vermont's state legislators are trying to hand out money -- minus the pork. Their annual construction bill has been a perfect place for the politically powerful to plant pet projects -- like the "Ps" in this sentence. Relatively small grants for minor local repairs added up to millions for state taxpayers. The senior members could tack on $5,000 here, $15,000 there for projects in their home town. To eliminate that -- some lawmakers came up with what they call the "Pork Reduction Act." It puts a lump sum of money into a single pot. Any town that wants the grants they used to get from their local legislator now has to go through a competitive system to get the money they want. They have to show they need it first. (Boston Globe)