TAG you're it Gov
TAG turned up the heat on the Governor and his wife yesterday with a press conference and the unveiling of a website making their case against the use of taxpayer money for the Bredesen Bunker.
A few things from their website I hadn't read, heard or considered yet:
"Whatever is built will be operated and managed with taxpayer monies." Of course. Building it is one thing---but maintenance is forever.
"In all likelihood usage will be at the discretion of the governor and will be subject to whatever the political whims of the sitting governor are at the time. It is also highly unlikely it will be made available to the average taxpayer." More long term thinking we should consider. If this were Sundquist, scratch that, if this were Lamar!, Frist or Bryson's Bunker....would the shoe still fit?
"If the new Ballroom is approved, Tennessee will be first in ballroom space, while near the very bottom of the list in education. " You know we spend a lot of time trying to disprove the hillbilly label that's unfairly attached to our state. But it's moments like this, when we go over the top in trying to prove how sophisticated we are that we actually prove the stereotype right. First in ballrooms, 49th in education.
Sign the petition.
Terry Frank isn't letting up either:Look, I’m all for Andrea having a hobby. I’d hope it would be about literacy or curing the sick. But those are her choices. But when Martha Sundquist planted red flowers on the interstate with my money, I wasn’t impressed. And likewise, when Andrea and hubby are kazillionaires, I’m not impressed that I get and work every day so she can play around with designers and architects. Pay for it yourself, Bredesens. And quit spending my money on a project that the majority of Tennesseans will never get to enjoy. This project screams “ELITE,” does it not?
Again, Mrs. Bredesen gets credit and kudos for getting the renovation of the mansion done. Apparently, it was past time for that. But it's time to stop. It's unnecessary no matter who pays for it. It is unconscionable for taxpayers to foot the bill when we have other needs that are more important.
And I'll remind people across the state we tried to tell you Bredesen was the mayor of big spending projects. You didn't listen. Here we are.
3 comments:
Kay, please look at the plans for the project here:
http://www.tennessean.com/assets/pdf/DN93569127.PDF
I can't argue the money part. Being from Memphis, we're used to politicians using our money for non-sensible stuff. e.g. the pyramid and fedex forum. But does the ballroom part of the project really look like 15000 sq feet? No it looks more like 3000 sq feet, just like the white house's ballroom. The rest is support space, kitchen, restrooms, etc. I bet the white house has just as much support space, if not more. Be careful what marketing you follow on this. And before you rail on me for being a Dem, I've voted straight Republican since I've been able to vote. That TAG group is using some false #'s though, so be careful.
Thanks for the comment e3.
I understand the difference between the actual ballroom and support rooms.
I also understand the money part.
Regarding the numbers: Part of the problem is getting them all. THAT's a problem when it's my money on the line.
E3, thanks for the drawing link.
Looks closer to 4500 s.f. for the hall (~90'X50').
It's unclear where all the $19M is being spent. The state has four active projects on the residence, with two of them tied to this addition, one for a security facility and one for 8M worth of "maintenance renovations". Regardless, if you spent $4 million on "remodeling" the house currently appraised below $1M you would still spend over $1000 PER SQUARE FOOT for the bunker. That is ridiculous by any standard. If $8M of the $19M go to renovation, you are still spending over $700 per s.f., not to mention spending eight times the value of the home "remodeling" it.
Post a Comment