U.S. Rep. Michael R. Turner secured funding for a restoration project for the Murphy Theatre in Wilmington, but now an Arizona congressman is fighting passage of the measure.

Turner said Wednesday U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake filed an amendment with the Rules Committee to remove his $250,000 funding request from the Department of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010. The money would come from an Economic Development Initiative grant.

“This would have passed as part of the overall bill,” Turner said from Washington Wednesday afternoon. “Now the House has to take a separate vote on just this measure.”

The vote will be taken in the House on Thursday.

An amendment was filed by Flake with the Rules Committee, Turner said. “Typically, Congressman Flake has gotten approval from the Rules Committee to challenge each of the spending measures that he brings down.”

If funding for the Murphy fails, Turner said it will not save the government money. “If we should lose tomorrow and Wilmington doesn’t get this funding, it just goes right back into the federal democracy and it’s spent anyway,” he said.

“Congressman Flake should not succeed at blocking this funding,” Turner said. “Wilmington officials and the theatre board have voiced their support for this project. I will fight to keep the funding I have secured for the historic Murphy Theatre. Flake’s attempt to obstruct this funding will not save one federal dime. This is money approved for spending and the Wilmington community should get its share. This is money that’s been set aside for projects like this. And it’s certainly our intention to work to get our fair share so some of this money comes to our community and isn’t just spent on other communities.”

Turner said he secured the funding at the request of the Murphy Theatre board members and Wilmington city officials. “The funding will go towards restoring the historic theatre including replacing the 50-year old boiler heating system, repairing the theatre roof and performing electrical work,” he said.

Other improvements needed include replacing the air conditioning system, sound system, replace lighting and repairing interior plasterwork damaged from a faulty roof.

The Murphy Theatre has been a focal point of Wilmington’s downtown historic district for more than 90 years. It serves as a community center, live theatre and arts center for local residents and hosts 35 events in a typical year, attracting more than 6,000 adults and 4,000 children annually.

“I’m certainly going to be working to ensure that this funding is approved,” Turner said. “The Murphy Theatre is one of those projects where the community has rallied, especially with the economic downturn in Ohio and in Wilmington, it’s that much more important that when there is federal money available that it go to communities that are struggling, to make up that gap to keep things in the community’s foundations and assets moving forward.”

When Flake has previously attempted to overturn such funding, Turner said in this Congress he has failed. “There’s a few times he wins, but typically he fails. We’re certainly going to make certain he fails tomorrow.”

Turner said he will be working with other members of the House “to tell them the story of the importance of this to the commuity so we can preserve this funding.”