It somehow feels better when I can hear Elliot Davis’s voice tell me, “You paid for it!” followed by a commercial break. I like the aggressive “I gotcha’” media tactics when we are asking about my taxpayer dollars. I like to see the art of untactful avoidance from government officials when asked about the lack of thought or oversight concerning my tax dollars.
When the words are in print and no catchy commercial jingle follows, it stings a bit more.
This is how I felt after reading the Post-Dispatch article by Heather Radcliff entitled “MoDOT spending $2.3 million to get bridge right-of-way that City sold for $2.” The day after the story appeared, MoDOT announced “MoDOT Selling Property in Statewide Blitz” with a new link to their website, www.modot.org/realtyforsale.
As a taxpayer, how confident do you think I am of this?
The proposed bridge in question has been in the making for almost a decade. In no way, shape or form do I buy this idea about “uncertainty” regarding this large regional project back in 2003 when the City sold the land for $2. It insults the intelligence of many to read the statement from the Land Reutilization Authority Deputy Executive Director Otis Williams suggesting that the bridge plans weren’t firm then and the $2 sale to this developer was a better answer for the blighted property than a proposed bridge ramp for the region.
The smart taxpayer in me and in MANY others doesn’t buy it. Mr. Williams, either you think we are stupid or….? Please finish the sentence using your own tact and diplomacy.
My second question is regarding the LRA commissioners: What information could Alderman April Ford Griffin or anyone else present to them that would make them refute the strong recommendations of the LRA staff, who handle these matters for a living?
I’m just asking, because it cost me $2.3 million as a tax payer. We got duped big time. Someone pocketed $2.3 million of our tax dollars. We truly deserve answers.
Now it’s MoDOT’s turn to capitalize on the economic opportunity costs of its assets, I hope they pull it off. According to a January press release, they’ve hired two private firms for real estate marketing and consulting. I hope this passes the smell test better than the St. Louis version.
After being hustled for millions, I can only hope they are able to recoup some of the losses from the $2 LRA shuffle and put more money into well-managed road and bridge projects.
Taxpayers, we need to demand answers. “No comment” or “unavailable” doesn’t work with our money anymore. We want real answers – period.