100 Worst Stimulus Projects
This should really get your blood boiling, from Tom Coburn's office (pdf). I am still perusing it, but two of my favorites already:
- $1.445 million for an Oklahoma water project, where stimulus-required procurement and other rules subsequently increased the cost of the project by $1.94 million. So the local folks lost a net of $500,000 by taking our money. Serves the right.
- $800,000 for a backup runway for the now famous airport to nowhere, also known as the John Murtha airport in Johnstown. This is critical, because if they were to lose their current runway, all three flights a day and 20 daily passengers (I am not kidding) might have to find an alternative airport. This brings the total airport subsidy to $15,411 per annual passenger.
- A California skate park will get a $620,000 "facelift." Plans to refurbish the skate park in Long Beach, California, had stalled for months as local funds put towards higher priority park projects. With $620,000 in federal stimulus funding available to upgrade the skate park, the city council decided to move forward. Daniel Johnson, a skater, said, "If most of us weren't skating right now, we'd be doing some bad stuff." Because nothing says "gateway activity to adult productivity and preparation for the job market" like a skateboard park.