“You Can’t Fight City Hall” — Or Can You?

Just yesterday a post noted that the never-ending love of pork and pork construction had universities asking for new buildings to be paid for while admitting they lacked the funds to maintain the ones they have.

Now comes another example of Kentuckians funding contracts to build expensive buildings while failing to fund basic services for citizens. This time, it’s Lexington in the spotlight. Lexington, where there is not enough money in the budget to keep fire stations open. Lexington, where there is a huge gaping block where the heart of the city used to be, with no plans to build the fantastic hotel and condominium complex that never had any valid economic basis. Now, Vice Mayor Jim Gray has proposed that the city stop planning to build a new government center city hall in such tight budget times.

Vice Mayor Jim Gray on Tuesday said the city should halt plans for a new government center, saying the present economic climate makes it a bad time to start a major construction project.
While the project was well-intended when the city began considering it two years ago, today is a different economy, Gray said. “A lot of people are struggling. A lot of businesses are struggling.”
He said no business would initiate this kind of undertaking in today’s economy.
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Seventh district councilwoman K.C. Crosbie favored holding off until the 2011 fiscal year to go forward with design plans. Crosbie said it would be “irresponsible” to spend money at this point on a new building.
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As part of the planning stages for a new city hall, the city government almost a year ago issued a request for proposals from firms that wanted to oversee the site selection process. From about a dozen responses, the field has been narrowed to three firms. On Wednesday, the selection committee will meet to review proposals from the three.
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It’s several decades past the time for Kentucky to stop paying for courthouses, new towers, and new building complexes that are built by well-connected contractors who grease the skids with contributions back to the political leaders when the public resources are insufficient to feed Kentucky’s hungry, treat its sick, and clothe its poor. It is time to value programs that improve lives more than bricks and mortar.

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