What a surprise... and how slimy and predictable. McNerny's delivering some "pork" to the voters two weeks from the election. Hey Jerry... I need a new roof... it's "shovel ready"... how 'bout a vote for a roof? I can't afford it right now, but neither can the voters. Get a clue. See you at the polls... and see ya later Jerry!

This is a great benefit for the entire community. I love the Iron Horse Trail and use it frequently, so closing the gap to the BART system is much appreciated. Thank you Jerry.

A real life example of stimulus "pork" in action! ....... And it creates "500 jobs in the district" to build 1.6 miles of six foot wide asphalt. That's $6.4M per mile and 313 jobs per mile. Buy that and I have a bridge with your name on it.

Since day 1, Jerry McNerney has turned his back on this community. It's only during the election that he emerges to take credit for things. He ignores us 90% of his term and then shows up in October of election years to make you think he has given us the moon. Too little to late.

What's wrong with bringing home the "pork"? Isn't that what he's supposed to do? If you can see he's trying to win your vote just before the election then surely others will too, what are you worried about. If you don't like him, don't vote for him. But if we get our "pork" and get a complete trail, then who cares!

George and Duffy,

Turn off Fox News, read the entire article and THINK about what it says. The application for funds to complete the project was made months ago, and covers multiple Bay Area congressional districts. The entire project covers more than just the 1.6 mile gap in the Tri-Valley area, so your calculations are way off.

With construction costs lower than they have been in years, this is a perfect time to invest in our infrastructure. The Bay Area can be proud to have a completed trail system to enjoy.

That's the problem with leftys... they assume that others of differing views just aren't thinking... that they're drones for FOX. Obama and McNerny shove things down our throats because they think we're all dumb and they know better how to care for us peons. How naive of YOU to think there's no connection between getting the pork... er grant... and the fact that dems are scared spitless of losing the McNerny seat in congress. The money being spent on the trail is borrowed money that we can ill afford in this economy. The jobs being created are temporary UNION JOBS to pay Jerry's debt to the unions. We need jobs, alright... but we need jobs that are created through businesses growing, not digging ditches.

Jerry says this will create 500 jobs in the district. What about the 90,000 jobs that have been lost in his district under his watch.

I love Iron Horse Trail. But it's wrong to fund it with borrowed money (borrowed from nations like China).

Status Quo = Status Unsustainable

Jack,

The problem with "pork" in this case is the timing. If McNerney was a good representative, he would have gotten this funding many moons ago. The timing is transparent electioneering.

The real problem is that he will do this again and again if elected. We'll have to wait until the next election cycle to see any more "pork" from this source.

If we’re looking to the federal government to create jobs, we’re looking in the wrong place.

The Feds steals our money…er, taxes us, and only if we do what they say, they MIGHT give a little bit back to us, like this pork project.

Jack asks, “What's wrong with bringing home the "pork"?” What’s wrong is, all the politicians are doing it and it’s bankrupting our country.

All 300 million Americans are governed by 536 people in a little city 3,000 miles away from us. We get to elect exactly 4 of those people (one congressman, two senators, and a president). Is that really representative and accountable democracy?

Mr. McNerney, take your pork. I’d rather ride my bike on the dirt than on a trail that’s been paid for with stolen and borrowed money.

More senseless squandering of taxpayer money. This irresponsible act along with the vicious campaign literature McNerney has sent out shows McNerney's true character. We all have to pray that this man does not get re-elected.

McNerney is all about big government, big spending, and reckless misuse of taxpayer money.

It is a sad fact that even if McNerney is voted out; he will still be feeding on taxpayer money for the rest of his life (full congressional pay and heath care). This is not fair considering the injustices he has inflicted on his constituents and the nation while in office.

Expanding the Iron Horse Trail is a "senseless squandering of taxpayer money"? It's one of the best, and most civilized, infrastructure investments I could think of.

Wow, you folks are really organized. Your rhetoric, your scary positions, call for a rally - a rally to restore sanity - oh, but wait, that is happening 3000 miles away in that hot-bed of elitism on 10/30. Well, we will have to catch it on the tube. Should at least bring a smile to our faces if not a sense that there is a new silent majority of busy, productive, moderates out there who still care about our country and what it was founded on. Maybe a reminder that we can be united behind the hard work and time it will take to restore us to a place of common purpose toward the common well being of this land and our people. We need to get out of this cynical stalemate which is all about a power grab and get back to work. I can't believe I even took the time to write all this! Nice day to take a walk on the IH Trail! :)

Yes, of course, it's nice to have a trail. I understand the "we should get ours" mentality. The money will be spent somewhere anyway. Thats the problem!! The money SHOULDN'T be spent. We have to borrow it to spend it. It's like a giant HELOC. We're spending the equity of our country to supposedly create jobs. There will be no jobs gained to build the trail.

Sorry to vent

I have no problem with criticism of McNerney, but I ask the same question I always do of the Ricks, Duffy's, and Georges out there: Where were you when Richard Pombo - one of the lowest lifeforms to ever crawl out from under a rock, who defines George's term "slime" to a T, and who still has massive numbers of fans in the republican enclave known as Alamo - was pulling massive pork from the feds and state for his water diversions and environmental destruction projects? The ones his BigAgro backers received in the worst kind of corporate welfare? Where were you whiners then????
I use the Iron Horse trail a lot, and even to me $10 mil seems like a lot, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to what McNerney's tubby predecessor gifted.

The Iron Horse Trail is a great asset to our community and this will make it available to more people through out the Diablo Valley. I am a volunteer bicycle patrol rider for the EBRPD and patrol the IH Trail several times a week and observe families, hikers, bikers, communters, and students using this safe trail more and more. We all need more enjoyable exercise and the Trail encourages good , safe outdoor activity. This is an excellent use of stimulous funds and will allow land use and construction of the Trail linkages between Dublin, Pleasanton , and Livermore.

I am sick of all this negativity. I think too many people spend all their time on the computer. Get out and take a walk on the iron horse trail. You'll feel better!!!

As nice as it will be to have a completed Iron Horse Trail, running all the way from Suisun Bay to Livermore (I walk and ride on it almost every week), the fact remains that it is ridiculous that federal funds will be used to pay for it.

Why should tax payers in other states, let alone other parts of CA, be forced to ante-up for our trail?

And the whole "well, others do it, so we should get our share" argument is part of why our country is in such a bad economic state, with the largest annual deficits in history (annual deficits over the past two years that are two or even three times as high as the worst of the Bush years).

Are you all going to be as happy to read about your tax dollars being used for various pork projects in other states? Because they are, whether you are aware of it or not.

If we, as residents of the East Bay, want to fund Iron Horse Trail improvements, we should do it with our own money. And we also shouldn't have to pay for the thousands of pet projects of legislators in other areas and states (chosen for their political advantage, tough election battles, or for supporting the administration's agenda).

Something to keep in mind is that you can only spend other people's money until those other people either go broke, or wake up. Both are happening now...

Funny how some people say that government can't create jobs. Then when government does create jobs they disparage it. Fact is, many government programs have and continue to create jobs and new industries and have helped establish the USA as the world's greatest country. The WPA during the Great Depression not only created jobs, it left a lasting legacy of roads, transportation routes, parks and trails that every citizen can enjoy today. The government also developed and funded the interstate highway system that was the major catalyst for economic growth in the 1950s and 1960s. Government also funds space exploration that generated technologies that spawned new businesses and industries. Government also funded and created the Internet that has transformed business, communications, and life as we know it. And oh yes, government under a President named Reagan funded defense research that helped bring down our mortal enemy the Soviet Union. Government isn't there to just lower taxes but set priorities and fund programs that improve the lives of citizens, stimulate innovation, and set national priorities. President Kennedy established the objective of landing a man on the moon before the Soviets. We did it. What an incredible accomplishment that was; an accomplishment that has not been equaled since.

The WPA: We Poke Along.

You went to work and got a shovel to lean on for 8 hours a day.

To Mike and others who support this giveaway of taxpayer money:

Yes, the expansion of the Iron Horse Trail is a worthy project that will benefit area residents. But why should a farmer in Minnesota, a shopkeeper in Vermont, or a family in Alabama be paying for it? It is unlikely they will ever see or use this trail.

The "something for nothing mentality" is what put the US into the budget/deficit situation it is in today. But guess what ... nothing the federal government gives you is free .. the overburdened taxpayers are paying the bill.

When future historians try to understand why the United States crumbled and fell, they will find that it was destroyed from within by people like you who wanted everything provided by their government as long as they did not have to pay for it.

Clearly you are a member of the 47% of households who pay no federal income taxes. Well .. eventually the free ride will come to the end of the road.