White House analysis sees fewer earmarks but says reform is still needed

White House analysis sees fewer earmarks

WASHINGTON — A White House analysis finds that lawmakers on Capitol Hill obtained about 2,000 fewer pet projects last year.

According to the White House budget office, lawmakers stuffed 9,192 so-called earmarks into spending bills last year, at a cost to taxpayers of more than $11 billion.

By White House calculations, that’s a 17 percent drop in the number of earmarks and a 27 percent reduction in cost.

White House budget director Peter Orszag welcomes the cuts but says reforms are still needed.

Earmarks like road and water projects and community development grants and are a cherished tradition and skyrocketed during GOP control of Congress. Democrats have succeeded in cutting them back a little and have instituted reforms to make the process more open.