DC Priorities: Mayor spends $2000 each on ceremonial keys while District's needs go unmet
The City of Washington is at it again, spending taxpayers' hard-earned money without as much as blinking an eye. The latest "necessity" that Mayor Williams decided that the city needs? A $2000 ceremonial key to hand out to "visiting dignitaries."
The cost of the key, which was designed by a Georgetown sculptor, is more than 20 times what New York, Chicago and San Francisco spend on their ceremonial keys.The cost includes $850 for casting, $700 for laser engraving, $200 for a stainless steel plaque and $130 for a presentation box.
New York City spends $60 apiece on its ceremonial keys.
This from a Mayor that never misses an opportunity to complain about how underfunded the District is; this from a Mayor who talks about implementing a "commuter tax" because the District can't pay its bills; this in a city that is on the verge of a property tax revolt, a city where the restaurant sales tax is almost 10%, a city where school overcrowding and budget shortfalls have become the norm.
To all of these problems, what is Mayor Williams' solution? Taypayer subsidized baseball and a bunch of $2,000 keys.
Would you expect any less from a city that just elected twice-convicted crackhead and prostitute frequenter Marion Barry to city council?
Posted by jkhat at February 16, 2005 03:26 PM
The trackback entry for this page is : http://www.inthehat.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/704
| Trackback Entries | |
| The Blue State Conservatives linked with Another great Blue Monday roundup | |
Comments
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
FYI - The former Mayor of Washington, DC is Marion Barry, that's B-A-R-R-Y. The Congressman from the first district of Arkansas is Marion Berry. Whether you agree with either or not, there's a significant difference between the former Mayor and the Congressman. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
noted and updated. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Remember a scant month ago, when there was hysterical media outcry over the District being told they could use DHS purpose grants for the Inauguration? http://www.dummocrats.com/archives/000666.php At the time, I wrote: "It also says that if DC is complaining about it, there is something wrong with the way they are using the huge amount of money they already receive from the Federal Government, and it opens up a lot of uncomfortable questions for the District. Questions which frankly aren't new." Suddenly this new story takes on a very interesting context. DC could apparently spend thousands of dollars on trinkets, but couldn't spare a dime for Inaugural security. |