Sunken Money

Tracking how money in a government budget is actually spent is tough enough to do. Tracking how that money is spent when it's not even listed as a line item in the budget takes a Herculean reporting effort. That's what John Monk of The State in Columbia, South Carolina, accomplishes with his story "How Senator Steers Sub Under Radar." Monk traces how a powerful state senator, Glenn McConnell, has managed behind the scenes to get $97 million committed toward preserving and promoting the Hunley, an old Confederate submarine, without much in the way of public debate. I admire the tenacious digging Monk did to piece together how taxpayer dollars (in addition to some private money) is going toward a project that doesn't necessarily have broad public support. Thanks to Brian Summers for suggesting this story.
www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/14577313.htm