Alabama town tells its side of the story
So, by now you’ve heard that the tiny Alabama town that put in a $374 million bid for stimulus money to build a scenic railroad, renewable energy museum, and, um, golf cart recharging stations withdrew its request after a public uproar. US News& WR first reported on the push.
Now, the chastened town of Edwardsville, Ala., is trying to tell its side of the story and explain why it deserved the money.
Sorry, I’m still not persuaded. Are you?
In an attempt to provide the public with clarity on the requests, E.D. Phillips, the town’s representative to the US Council of Mayors and board member of the local gas district utility, stated “The public perception that Edwardsville was asking for $2 million solely for the town’s residents could not be further from the truth. These projects were developed along with two utilities and another town in a cooperative effort over the past two years to provide economic development and job creation through the development of clean energy and communities benefiting our tri-county region.” Phillips continued, “The article, in our opinion, was skewed to incite public reaction over a currently volatile issue by insinuating $2 million was going to 194 residents of one town.”
The article did state that the projects would benefit an approximate 80,000 residents in a tri-county area. However, the public’s perception did not focus its attention on that point, but rather the $2 million per resident.
Phillips explains, “The projects are primarily for renewable and clean energy generation related to two public utilities to which the Town of Edwardsville is a member.” He goes on, “Funding requests related to public projects, such as those of public municipal utilities, goes through the channels of its municipal members that are technically the owners. As Edwardsville is a member of the utilities, the funding requests were submitted through the town.”
Some of the projects, however, continue to be under heavy scrutiny. The proposed renewable energy museum, scenic rail road and golf cart recharging stations among them.
“The renewable energy museum”, Phillips states, “was never to be a place for people to come see what a solar panel looks like. Two years ago there were discussions we had with the National Renewable Energy Lab about cooperating through a satellite facility in Alabama on the development of cutting-edge technologies that could eventually create jobs. In only one aspect of potential cooperation, the South has an abundance of pine timberlands that could be utilized in research for production of non-food-based ethanol production.”
Phillips says the museum facility is meant to be a working museum where information can be disseminated to cities, counties and residents of the Southeast. People could view, and learn, how to incorporate energy efficient and alternative construction methods such as compressed earth block, structural insulated panels (SIP) and rammed earth in “beautiful, but functional and efficient, designs for multitudes of uses.”
“Low-head hydro-electric facilities would also be a functioning part of the museum. “Many rural areas from Alabama to New York State have an abundance of non-navigable streams and tributaries that can be used for energy production.” He continues, “The working renewable energy museum would show them how.”
And what about those golf cart solar charging stations? Phillips went on to discuss that in various ways, long-term planning must be incorporated into cities and towns so they will not later be faced with congestion and high-cost road construction. “By incorporating golf cart paths into community design, such as the acclaimed Peachtree City in Georgia, planned green community residents can do almost all their local errands without the use of polluting and traffic congestive cars. Having recharging stations is an integral component to success when cities consider these planning options.”
And I should pay for it because…?
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- BAM Stimulus: Liberal Overreach? « JoHNBRoDiGaNDoTCoM
- The Other McCain: The Edwardsville Cargo Cult
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- Senate Stimulus Bill Page: 777 — Find the Pork in the Stimulus
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Sorry, Edwardsville…
As Alabamans, you should know that even when you dress it up, a pig is still a pig.
You are just a bunch of opportunistic, greedy b*stards like everyone else who has their hand out.
I wish there was a way to have you financially pay for your whimsical and expensive plans. My fellow taxpayers should not be on the hook for this pie-in-the-sky crap. We have too much to choke down already.
That’s not too far off from us Connecticut taxpayers who are forced to subsidize other Connecticut drivers who buy something called a Toyota Prius.
It’s a brave new world comrades.
Reminds me of an incident in which a beggar asked me to give money to him so that he could redistribute it to the “poor”. I pressed him to tell me who these “poor” people were. Finally, he announced, “I am the poor.”
I offered to buy him a meal, but he refused. It was obvious that he wanted cash to go buy liquor or similar.
Attention towns and states: If you want stuff, JUST PAY FOR IT YOURSELF! Quit seeing the U.S. Treasury as your answer to everything! Tax yourselves if your ideas are really any good!
Don’t worry. Your friendly neigborhood, vote-seeking congressman will find some bill to sneak the “Edwardsville amendment” in. It might be renamed something obscure, but it will be there. Like Feinstein’s $461 million for 500 fish amendment, all shall be rewarded. Of course, such requests are to be done by the States only, according to the law, but who cares anymore in D.C.. The feeding frenzy has begun.
With all this madness, can anyone tell me how I can secede from the Union?
These people, and many others, are just plain insane. They think government money doesn’t come from taxing their neighbors.
Michelle, YOU don’t have to pay for it. The GOVERNMENT pays for it! Don’t you get it? It’s FREE! It’s all free!
… we are working and must share
theour wealth.I live in Alabama, this whole state is financially bankrupt..Crooked Republicans and Democrats have wasted our money and nobody seems to care.
Arizona is going broke and I can not imagine why! We spent public money for a professional football stadium, basketball arena and a baseball field.
That was suppose to solve all our problems for ever. Perhaps if we get
Federal money (not ours I hear) for a golf course charging station we will finally be solvent. Sending Janet
RenoNapolitano to DC might help. Napolitano could not have done the damage she did without just a few RINOs, sad.Share the Bankruptcy?
Because everybody has to sacrifice – Obama says so. And when it gets down to a push becoming a shove, neither you nor I will have any choice in the matter.
Next Obama Propaganda slogan:
i believe i divided correctly when i first read this drivel, and i think this amounts to 2 million bucks for every resident. give me 2 million bucks, and i’ll take care of myself. 2 million at 4% money market funds is 80k per year. can no one in this country do simple math anymore? the old joke about why all the trial lawyers want to practice in these poor (ethnic) areas is because the difference between 1mil and 2mil is 1. we spent some 100 billion on katrina when the whole state of louisiana isn’t worth that. jesus, a swamp with a ghetto in the middle of it, and if it weren’t for great food and a permanent party new orleans would just be another dump.
Is the Internet not working in Alabama? Are the libraries closed? Can professional journals not find mail delivery service there?
Gosh, why do I just keep getting the feeling that this is less about information sharing than one-way income sharing?
Redneck Internet – two cans and a piece of string.
No kidding. I don’t think you’d have to wait in line long.
Oh, it could eventually create jobs, maybe. Well, why didn’t you say so? That changes everything!
You plan on using trees and water for energy? You think the environmentalists won’t be screaming for your head on a platter? And you’re Southerners? Good grief, who do you think you’re asking for the money from?
When I get accosted by someone looking for money, I just tell him that Obama and the other socialists have already taken it. Then I ask why is he still asking for my money; hasn’t Obama spread the wealth around?
The B.O. may not be president yet but his people’s soviet was sworn in on the 3rd. I’m pretty sure they can do some wealth spreading without the B.O.’s say so.
It’s the patriotic thing to do.
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions”.