Other set-asides approved yesterday included $50,000 for the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Are these earmarks a waste of money? I can’t speak for all the earmarks on Globe’s list, but much of the spending seems to support tourism, one of the Commonwealth’s major industries.
None of the municipalities have money to invest themselves. Tanglewood is essential to the tourist economy of the Berkshires. Along with the Holyoke Children’s Museum and the Volleyball Hall of Fame, the merry-go-round in Holyoke are attractions for city that has a hard time attracting people. The City of Springfield certainly doesn’t have much money to spend on itself.
There may be a bridge to nowhere in this year’s budget, but I have to say, the Globe hasn’t convinced me.
Mark
striker57 says
It’s pork if it’s in someone else’s town and it’s essential spending if it’s in mine.
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p>The “got ya” media of Fox and anti-government blogs want us all looking at other communities and saying that the only needs that are legit are the ones where we live.
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p>Never mind that a central government helps all – repeal the income tax because some other town is getting funds to fix a park, rebuild a bridge or add a service.
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p>The shame is the Globe runing s story like that without actually researching the projects that are funded – press release journalism at it’s worst.
stomv says
They’re not essential to survival but are a part of a healthy lifestyle.
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p>The issue is fairness and efficiency. Are the most deserving projects getting funding? Is the funding going to all communities at appropriate rates? Does the state end up funding inefficient redundancies or even competing goals which undermine each others’ efforts?
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p>Legislators know the needs and desires of their districts, and may have a better sense on their priorities than a state agency. State agencies have some sense of the needs and desires of communities statewide and may have a better ability to prioritize based on fairness, efficiency, and urgency. This is part of why I’m a fan of the labor intensive grant system. Give a big chunk of money to accomplish an objective to an agency, and let communities apply for it, justifying why the spending meets specific important needs within the confines of the objective. The communities can get the money for their specific needs and desires, and the agency can use their expertise and view of the entire Commonwealth to award the grants to those projects most appropriate.