The report highlights several taxpayer-funded projects, many of them coming from the trillions in "COVID relief" passed through three congressional spending bills.
The budget watchdog group blasted Hawaii, which reportedly doled out $1 million in taxpayer funds for a "Sea urchin hatchery" as well as $300,000 for "An engineering assessment of the now-condemned Aloha Stadium." In September of last year, the McAllen Independent School District in Texas approved a deal to spend $4 million in these federal funds for an urban bird sanctuary.
"The myriad instances of state and local governments misusing COVID relief funds with a plethora of payments for putrid projects shows how lawmakers have pulled the ultimate trick on taxpayers," the group said in its report.
The spending projects highlighted in this report come as other more politicized COVID-relief spending efforts sparked controversy.
As The Center Square previously reported, leading House Republicans raised major concerns over hundreds of billions of dollars of "ESSER funding" that were directed to help schools recover from the pandemic, some of which was spent advancing LGBT issues, "Equity warriors" and more.
California used ESSER funds for training in 'environmental literacy,' 'ethnic studies,' and 'LGBTQ cultural competency,'" the letter said.
"New York used part of the $9 billion it received to provide staff development on 'culturally responsive sustaining instruction' and 'privilege' and to recognize 'equity warriors.' Illinois received $5.1 billion, which it partially used to emphasize 'equity and diversity' and make 'equity driven investments.' At least ten other state plans included proposals to use the ESSER funds to implement racially biased curriculum and programs based on critical race theory."
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