May 16 2008
Heck, it’s “only” $40 million… why not???
From the “Your Government at Work” files:
Easley Proposes Capital Visitor’s Center
Gov. Mike Easley’s budget proposal includes $40.4 million for a new capital visitor’s center.
The existing visitor’s center, isn’t a center at all, David Bracken reports. It’s a reception desk hidden in a corner of the N.C. Museum of History’s lobby.
“It’s been so embarrassing for us when people walk in and say, ‘Is this the visitor center?’” said Jackie Parrish, the center’s acting director. “First they have to find us, and then they have to find a parking space. They are fit to be tied when they get in here.”
Easley’s proposal is for a new 55,000-square-foot visitors center by 2011, which would feature a stand-alone center and a two-level underground parking garage.
The new center would be the second large development project undertaken by the state downtown.
The $109 million Green Square project calls for construction of a Department of Environment and Natural Resources building, an expansion of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and an underground parking facility.
The visitors center would be directly east of the Museum of History on what is now a paved parking lot for state workers. Among its amenities would be an outdoor plaza, classroom space, a drop-off point for school buses, and designated parking.
It must be so nice to live in Mike Easley’s world. While the rest of us scrimp and save just to put gas in our cars and food on the table, Magical Mike is gonna wave his wand and make $40 million appear out of thin air.
No… wait. He’s just gonna take it out of your wallet instead.
The first time I visited Raleigh it was in the middle of the afternoon. I found a nice place to park (at the same lot where he intends to build this white elephant, btw), and found the visitor center with little trouble.
When I got there, sure- it was small and only had one employee. So what? It had all the info I needed and the employee was polite and knowledgeable. Granted, maybe we can spend some money putting up more signs letting people know where the center is, but we don’t need a whole new center!
And why, exactly, should citizens of Asheville and Wilmington have their state taxes go to something that only benefits Raleigh? I actually LIVE in Raleigh and I don’t want my taxes going to this!
This is just one more example of a government that is desperately out of touch with how real people live. Gov. Easley should be the one having to scrimp and save- not you and me.
