Where's all the criticism? The hoopla? The media coverage?
Why haven't our politicians raised the issue of taxpayer money being spent on Cobb County's "Bridge to Nowhere" otherwise known as the Cumberland Boulevard Bridge? Even though the MDJ reported on the project July 2, I have heard no outrage.
The board of the Cumberland Community Improvement District approved the project which includes fabricating and installing three (non-structural) metal arches on the south side of the bridge only. They will be colored blue. Decorative fencing will be added on both sides of the bridge. Oh, and the arches will be lit with LED lighting.
The project designer, Ginny Rainey of Mills Specialty Metals in Smyrna, is quoted as saying; "the $985,000 project includes an $800,000 federal grant the CID received to build the arches."
She further said, "As a gateway into Cobb County, it will certainly enhance the district." I believe she meant the Cumberland CID only and not Cobb County in general or Mableton in any manner.
Let's hear some outrage over spending $985,000 (including $800,000 national taxpayer money) for cosmetics on a bridge in these tough economic times. Rust removal could be taken care of in routine maintenance by whoever is the bridge owner.
In the same article, CID board member Mason Zimmerman was quoted as saying the project is another example of the CID using seed money to come up with a concept for a project to enhance the area and using that to leverage additional funding. Obviously, he means garnering national taxpayer money for a very local and absolutely unnecessary "enhancing" project.
I wonder if the taxpayers who live on the island in Alaska have heard about our Cumberland Boulevard Bridge to Nowhere? It is also their taxpayer money.
Remember too, the Cumberland CID has agreed to give $300,000 for "voter education" concerning the upcoming TSPLOST (MDJ May 27). The article mentioned that; "Together, Cobb's two community improvement districts have donated a combined half million dollars to the TSPLOST education efforts."
We should question from where the half million dollars of CID money came. If it came from CID-imposed taxes, then the question should be: Is it legal for a CID to use such taxpayer funds to 'educate' the public on the TSPLOST? If it is not illegal, it should be!
Donald Case
Mableton
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It is time for Cobb government, in the words of our dear leader Obama, to "share in the pain" of the taxpaying public. Thats going to require some house cleaning come election time, however.