Notes from Bridges Authority latest fustercluck
... This phenomenon of the open-closed meeting is a byproduct of modern American oligarchy, where atrocities can be hidden in plain sight because the devil lies in so many details. This effectively allows an organization like the Bridges Authority to appease our middle school social studies notions of democracy by inviting the public to witness an autocratic process firsthand, which is kind of like inviting someone over for dinner and making them watch you eat.
Or, as a fellow spectator noted, “We’re just watching them sit around and jerk each other off.”
New Albany is a state of mind … but whose? Since 2004, we’ve been observing the contemporary scene in this slowly awakening old river town. If it’s true that a pre-digital stopped clock is right twice a day, when will New Albany learn to tell time?
Friday, December 10, 2010
LEO: "Notes from Bridges Authority latest fustercluck."
More great work from Jonathan Meador. It reminds me of those days of yore when Louisville actually had a functioning daily newspaper.
Keep in mind that, according to the original schedule, a bridges financial plan was due in 2005. We're now being told that we might see something like that in Spring, 2011.
ReplyDeleteFive or six years of counterproductive, poorly performed theater later, we still won't have the money to build what was a bad idea based on erroneous assumptions to begin with, and, if construction speed really is a money saver as Stemler suggests, the only thing he and his obstinate cohort will have accomplished is making the East End Bridge more expensive.
From the article: "(2) According to one of those aforementioned PowerPoint slides, Kentucky will be picking up a bigger lion’s share of the project’s public funding than expected. Indiana has moved a whopping $579 million out of the project, leaving the Hoosier State with only a $566 million share."
ReplyDeleteThanks, Governor Daniels, for once again fucking us over down here. Removing half the Indiana share of money that was supposed to go toward this project just further proves you care nothing for Clark or Floyd Counties. I'd say you don't care for anything outside of I-465 as has historically been the case, but for now you're all about playing hero to Madison and Evansville/I-69 corridor, and doing so without tolls for them. Removing half our promised funding means you have a serious hard on for tolls for us but not for other parts of the state. Thanks, asshole.
You know Stemler's gotta be thinking the same thing on some level, Karen. Does he do the reasonable thing and use the money actually available to build just the East End Bridge, which would cause to him lose favor with the big boys, or does he sell out his hometown to Wall Street to save face with them, hoping for greater riches and access down the road?
ReplyDeleteIt's a nouveau riche conundrum to be sure.
Agreed, Jeff.
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ReplyDeleteThe wife and I just finished a delicious lunch in downtown NA at Bank Street Brew-house. Enjoyed reading Jonathan Meador's column while dining.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if it was attached to his column or elsewhere but I remember reading a quote today along the lines of "Who knows where the financing of this bridgeS project will come from". That thought reminded me of the article in today's CJ about the Colgate property. The alleged buyers have formed an investment group that intends to solicit foreign funds for the Colgate property and the development in that area. Why foreign? Because, as the article quotes an official, there is no domestic investment money available in this economic climate.
So, not only will we be paying tolls(if this two bridge boondoggle goes through), it appears very likely that our tolls will going to foreign investors(as are the Indiana Toll Road tolls).
Also, why is it when members of the Authority are asked specific questions, the answer(if you are lucky enough to get any response at all)is, "I'm not familiar with that particular...". I asked Mr. Finn a direct question about a KY Transportation authorized study that stated over 95% of the "traffic benefit" would be achieved by JUST building the EE bridge(at half the cost). He told me, to my face, that he wasn't familiar with that(and he has never bothered to respond since). If you haven't read Meador's column, please read it and see the same kind of response, by a different BridgeS Authority official, to a failed toll situation in Carolina. "...not familiar..."
Bullshit. But what do I know? I'm uneducated and have delusional ideas. When you have nothing else, resort to name calling seems to be the bridgeS supporters' favorite tactic. Wonder if it was in a handbook they received when they were appointed?
Sorry for the all the deletions. Somehow my comment got posted several times. I know that reading it once is painful enough.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone notice the wording in the Tribune article today? Page A4 second column, "what bridges or roads will actually be tolled."
ReplyDeleteReally? Now they are considering tolling roads?
Yes, KY has talked about the possibility of tolling spaghetti junction.
ReplyDelete"Bridge$ Authority"
ReplyDeleteMark...I liked your "BridgeS", I sort of like that as a branding tool of the opposition. I upped your ante slightly.