Why should I pay for a new police station on Staten Island?

Everyone's hand is out these days - asking the federal government (read you and me) for bailout or stimulus money.  New York City has now joined the line, with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican (Ha!) asking Congress for billions and billions* of our money.

Bloomberg has lots of ideas on how to spend the money.  They include hospitals, schools, and a variety of other infrastructure improvements, including ferry station repairs and a new police station on Staten Island.  

These may be needed - even noble - projects.  But are they federal?  No way!  Hospitals, schools, police, and infrastructure improvements are state and local issues.  None of us in St. Louis should be asked to chip in on local projects for New York . . . or Albuquerque . . . or Des Moines.  That's not the job of the federal government.  And the federal government needs to stop overreaching before it bankrupts us all.

*"billions and billions" should be read or said in the late Carl Sagan's voice.  Without that touch of humor, this story is just too depressing.