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Commission decides to keep garage money

By BROOK GRIFFIN Chronicle Staff Writer

The Bozeman City Commission voted unanimously Monday night to keep $4 million in federal appropriations for a downtown parking garage -- despite pleas to redirect the funds to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.


 Commissioners said they were moved by the passion of local residents to give the money back, but the parking garage is too important to give up.

Commissioner Jeff Krauss said the responsibility for helping hurricane victims should not fall solely on the city's shoulders.

"This isn't about helping Katrina victims, they will be helped whether or not Bozeman has a parking garage," Krauss said.

The money for the garage was among thousands of earmarks for transportation projects that was authorized in the $286.4 billion highway bill that President Bush signed this summer.

Suggestions to give the money back surfaced nearly a month ago. Since then, the idea has been featured on a national level in news media. Proponents of giving the money back said the nation was watching Bozeman for a decision.

"What I asked for weeks ago was not charity," said Tracy Velazquez, who first suggested giving the money back. "I'm asking the city to lead our nation."

Commissioner Steve Kirchhoff said he resented the "political slight of hand" the issue was creating for the commission.

"I don't like people telling me where my priorities should be," he said. "I don't think anybody is trying to skirt over a national tragedy."

All five commissioners voted to endorse City Manager Chris Kukulski's recommendation to not redirect money from the garage.

Kukulski presented a statement to the commission Thursday saying giving the money back was no guarantee it would be used for hurricane victims.

Kukulski was not at Monday's meeting.

Velazquez said she was disappointed with the decision but understood the commission's position.

"They have to make their decisions based on the people in the room," she said.

More than a dozen members of the public spoke during the debate, creating a nearly even split between those for giving the money back and those against it.

Bob Dehlendorf, who has spoken in favor of giving the money back for weeks, said the commission had a chance to "lead by example" but went the other way.

"I'm disappointed for the community," Dehlendorf said. "You would have thought there would have been some support for it."

Brook Griffin is at bgriffin@dailychronicle.com

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