More Money for ACORN?

Nearly $4 billion dollars could be made available to ACORN or other similar organizations in President Obama’s 2011 fiscal year budget proposal, released this week. Through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Community Development Block Grant program will have $3.99 billion to award to state and localities, who in turn can pass the money to ACORN or other groups.

According to Matthew Vadum writing for The American Spectator, they would be part of a “good old-fashioned graft, an area in which ACORN has great expertise.”

The article also references the Manhattan Institute’s Steven Malanga, who called the Community Development Block Grant program, “America’s worst urban program.” He noted that the money “it has lavished on poor neighborhoods has had little impact, because nothing in the funding formula requires grantees to show that they’re actually improving things. Few ever ‘graduate’ from the program, having achieved their mission. Instead, the funding spigot stays open, year after year.”

As the President’s budget is debated, it is imperative ACORN’s corrupt actions are not forgotten to ensure they are not made eligible for any of the nearly $4 billion in Community Development Block Grants.