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Thread: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

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    $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/signs...ry?id=11163180

    Signs of the Stimulus

    Some Call it Transparency, Others Another Example of Government Waste


    By JONATHAN KARL and GREGORY SIMMONS


    July 14, 2010




    As the midterm election season approaches, new road signs are popping up everywhere – millions of dollars worth of signs touting "The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act" and reminding passers-by that the program is "Putting America Back to Work."A look at where the stimulus money is going.


    On the road leading to Dulles Airport outside Washington, DC there's a 10' x 11' road sign touting a runway improvement project funded by the federal stimulus. The project cost nearly $15 million and has created 17 jobs, according to recovery.gov.
    However, there's another number that caught the eye of ABC News: $10,000. That's how much money the Washington Airports Authority tells ABC News it spent to make and install the sign – a single sign – announcing that the project is "Funded by The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act" and is "Putting America Back to Work." The money for the sign was taken out of the budget for the runway improvement project.
    ABC News has reached out to a number of states about spending on stimulus signs and learned the state of Illinois has spent $650,000 on about 950 signs and Pennsylvania has spent $157,000 on 70 signs. Other states, like Virginia , Vermont , and Arizona do not sanction any signs.



    One state brags it posts signs but manages to keep the process cost-effective. The Tennessee Department of Transportation boasts, "There are a total of 324 signs statewide for a total cost of $12,931 and an average of $37.67 each." The reason for the small cost, they say, is that their signs are small-- about equal to a speed limit sign.
    In response to questions by ABC News, Jill Zuckman of the Department of Transportation said, "The best estimate is that states have spent about $5 million of the $28 billion spent on road projects on signs – or less than .02 percent of overall project spending."
    Still, some Republicans are crying foul. Congressman Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Earl Devaney, Chairman of the Recovery Act and Transparency and Accountability Board, requesting an investigation to "determine the scope and impact of the Obama administration's guidance" regarding signs to stimulus recipients.
    Rep. Issa writes that the passage of the Stimulus Bill, "has provided an opportunity for the Obama administration to claim political credit for the various projects around the country that have been funded by this redistribution of taxpayer dollars."
    At the center of the controversy are a series of guidelines provided to stimulus recipients. In the letter, Rep. Issa cites what he calls "perhaps the most overly political guidance on stimulus advertising" involving the Department of Housing and Urban Development and a stimulus recipient. According to investigators from the oversight committee, HUD provided the Office of Native American Programs with information on "signage requirements." The document suggested a sign template informing the public the projects had been, "Funded By: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Barack Obama, President."




    Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) has joined the chorus of Republican outrage over stimulus signs and claims at least $20 million has been spent on them. He told ABC News, "I think it's a bit of an oxymoron to spend tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money, borrowed money, on a bunch of signs to tell them how we are spending their taxpayer money."
    A sign announces a section of road work funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act U.S....
    A sign announces a section of road work funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act U.S. economic stimulus plan in the Denver area in this Sept. 2009 file photo. As the midterm election season approaches, new road signs are popping up everywhere -- millions of dollars worth of signs touting the stimulus act and reminding passersby that the program is ?Putting America Back to Work.?
    (Rick Wilking/Reuters)

    Schock's office provided ABC News with administration guidance on stimulus signs sent to him from a constituent. The document, dated March of 2009, outlines the "General Guidelines for Emblem and Logo Applications." The Recovery Act logo which was provided not only looks oddly similar to the Obama logo from the 2008 campaign but its stated purpose, according to the document, is to act as "a symbol of President Obama's commitment to the American people to invest their tax dollars wisely and put Americans back to work."





    Rep. Schock argues that the signs are not a wise investment at all, but rather, a waste of money. He took to the House floor today to offer a bill, "to prevent funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 from being used for physical signage indicating that a project is funded by such Act, and for other purposes."
    Massachusetts Democrat James McGovern fired back, "This is the best we can get? Not putting up signs?" He continued, "How about paying for the tax cuts for the rich that my friends on the other side of the aisle passed? Hundreds of billions of dollars in debt that you put on the backs of my kids and my grandkids so that the wealthiest of the wealthy in this country can get a tax break."
    When asked about Republican outcry over spending on stimulus signs, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs quipped, " I'm glad the Republicans have noticed the several – nearly 11,000 road projects that are underway this summer."
    -Robin Gradison and Avery Miller contributed to this report








    Well TBH I'm surprised that ABC, CNN, and some of the other networks are starting to come out of Obama's closet. 6 months ago you would never see anything against anything obama did.

    10k a sign??! There's no reason these signs should cost more then a few grand at most to put in. Especially if we're talking (a conservative) half a million signs. If I were going to buy half a million signs, I'd get a pretty good price from the sign company and get these things made for a fraction of the cost. What a joke.
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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    but they're really ,really nice signs ...

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    The voices in my head say non-issue...








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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Millions of $$$ that end up in the garbage dump after the project is done. Waste of money!


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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Sounds to me like taxpayer funds going toward a subliminal re-election campaign...
    [Insert something clever and witty here.]

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    The project cost nearly $15 million and has created 17 jobs
    say WHAT ?!!! Well, glad my tax dollars are keeping SOMEONE employed, but where's my effin job ?

    $10,000. That's how much money the Washington Airports Authority tells ABC News it spent to make and install the sign – a single sign
    Yeah, but now that the signs up, two guys are back in the unemployment line.


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    Stay classy, leftnutz

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Quote Originally Posted by steelax04 View Post
    Sounds to me like taxpayer funds going toward a subliminal re-election campaign...
    ya think ?!
    Stay classy, leftnutz

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Quote Originally Posted by Mach1 View Post
    Millions of $$$ that end up in the garbage dump after the project is done. Waste of money!
    I highly doubt those signs will end up in a dump. They will be recycled, like many similar signs are when they've been removed. At least I hope they will be - you never know with the gubmint. Besides, what's the difference between spending $10,000 and "a few thousand?" It's still going to cost a LOT when it's all said and done. Let's say they cost $5,000 a sign...that's still $10 million being spent on them. And guaranteed, people would bitch about that too.

    I'd rather not worry about spending money on road signs. I'd rather worry about the fact that these projects are only temporary, and once the project ends, these people will be out of work. So that will end up being a lot of money spent for a short-term fix.








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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    That's a lot of money for just some road signs.

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    why do we need signs on the side of the road that say that the people working are part of the stimulus money. did the run out of the orange men at work signs?

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Quote Originally Posted by X-Terminator View Post
    I highly doubt those signs will end up in a dump. They will be recycled, like many similar signs are when they've been removed. At least I hope they will be - you never know with the gubmint. Besides, what's the difference between spending $10,000 and "a few thousand?" It's still going to cost a LOT when it's all said and done. Let's say they cost $5,000 a sign...that's still $10 million being spent on them. And guaranteed, people would bitch about that too.

    I'd rather not worry about spending money on road signs. I'd rather worry about the fact that these projects are only temporary, and once the project ends, these people will be out of work. So that will end up being a lot of money spent for a short-term fix.
    The road signs do nothing for public safety or direct traffic. Spend the money of useful permanent signs and not advertising the spendulas bill. IMO


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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    while spending so much money on the signs is dumb, the republicans bitching about it are even dumber. i guess they just arent happy unless its a dick cheney affiliated company bending the govt over and fucking them in the ass. (anyone remember the 50 cent per tiny ketchup packet condiments for the troops in iraq?)


    so now obama is in charge of the purchasing orders for road signs? i guess it is his responsibility to follow every congressman into the bathroom in capitol hill and make sure they dont turn the water on full blast when they wash their hands or use more than 2 paper towels, too?

    Congressman Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Earl Devaney, Chairman of the Recovery Act and Transparency and Accountability Board, requesting an investigation to "determine the scope and impact of the Obama administration's guidance" regarding signs to stimulus recipients.
    give me a fucking break you moron.

    Massachusetts Democrat James McGovern fired back, "This is the best we can get? Not putting up signs?" He continued, "How about paying for the tax cuts for the rich that my friends on the other side of the aisle passed? Hundreds of billions of dollars in debt that you put on the backs of my kids and my grandkids so that the wealthiest of the wealthy in this country can get a tax break."
    LMAOWNED!

    When asked about Republican outcry over spending on stimulus signs, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs quipped, " I'm glad the Republicans have noticed the several – nearly 11,000 road projects that are underway this summer."



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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    seen on TV where general motors received 102 million in stimulus money. they are using it to build a 30 thousand square ft addition to their baltimore plant, where they'll be the 1st company in america to produce electric engines for cars. they'll be adding an additional 200 jobs besides calling back the employess laid off ....

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    I blame the stupid companies charging that much.

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Quote Originally Posted by Stlrs4Life View Post
    I blame the stupid companies charging that much.
    The only way stupid companies can charge that much is if stupid people will pay that much.
    Stay classy, leftnutz

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Quote Originally Posted by MasterOfPuppets View Post
    seen on TV where general motors received 102 million in stimulus money. they are using it to build a 30 thousand square ft addition to their baltimore plant, where they'll be the 1st company in america to produce electric engines for cars. they'll be adding an additional 200 jobs besides calling back the employess laid off ....
    That's what I want to see. If the stimulus continues to produce results like this, there would be a LOT less bitching.








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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    White Marsh GM To Add More Jobs

    Maryland's job market is getting a big boost thanks to federal stimulus money. GM in White Marsh has received more than $100 million to increase production and add hundreds
    Andrea Fujii explains how the plant will now be the first of its kind in the country.

    Maryland GM workers already produce hybrid transmissions, but soon they will be adding electric motors to their resume.

    "Be the first manufacturer of electric motors here in North America," said plant manager William Tiger.

    GM announced that they have received $105 million in federal stimulus funds. The money will go toward building a 30,000 square foot facility in the back of their existing plant.

    "The recovery act dollars both have a short-term impact -- construction, maintaining the jobs that are in place -- but then the long-term benefit of creating a new industry," said Dr. Edward Montgomery, White House Representative.

    They will also be adding new jobs for electric motor production.

    "Everyone was ecstatic because not only are the jobs here going to be safe, but we'll be adding 200 more jobs," said Tiger.

    2009 was a tough year for GM. They declared bankruptcy and the White Marsh plant laid off about 150 people.

    About 90 percent of those laid off have already found jobs elsewhere, but with more work coming to this plant, the remaining 10 percent could get their jobs back.

    "I hope to get three crews back on here working 24 hours a day again," said David Ruppert, GM worker.

    The plant will be able to produce about 80,000 electric motors a year. Experts say that in turn could bring down the cost of hybrids and electric cars.

    "It doesn't matter whether it's a hybrid or electric car or fuel cell. They all need electric motors and we'll be happy to make every one of them for everybody," said Tiger.

    GM will break ground for the addition in spring 2011. They will start production of the electric motors in 2013.

    (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
    http://wjz.com/local/GM.jobs.federal.2.1806509.html

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    The point of this thread wasn't/isn't to point the finger at obama. I think we all know he has much more important things to deal with then buying highway signs. And I agree that this is small potatoes which is my point. If we (they) can't keep expenses down on road signs, how can we not expect to go belly up when health care takes full effect?

    I don't care who is in office, right now they have to be smarter with our money. If they want to spend the way they have been, then they need to conserve where they can. I know that $5, 10, 20 mill is peanuts to our government but that shit adds up quick.

    And I'm not saying that this didn't happen under Bush. Tony mentioned the .50 ketchup. That's the kind of small potato shit I'm talking about. Again, the president doesn't sign the purchase order or shop around for ketchup packets or road signs but the person who does should be held accountable and do a better job.
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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Quote Originally Posted by smokin3000gt View Post
    The point of this thread wasn't/isn't to point the finger at obama. I think we all know he has much more important things to deal with then buying highway signs. And I agree that this is small potatoes which is my point. If we (they) can't keep expenses down on road signs, how can we not expect to go belly up when health care takes full effect?

    I don't care who is in office, right now they have to be smarter with our money. If they want to spend the way they have been, then they need to conserve where they can. I know that $5, 10, 20 mill is peanuts to our government but that shit adds up quick.

    And I'm not saying that this didn't happen under Bush. Tony mentioned the .50 ketchup. That's the kind of small potato shit I'm talking about. Again, the president doesn't sign the purchase order or shop around for ketchup packets or road signs but the person who does should be held accountable and do a better job.
    you mean like this kinda shit ?

    94 charged in Medicare scams totaling $251M
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100717/..._fraud_arrests

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Authorities said busts carried out this week in Miami, New York City, Detroit, Houston and Baton Rouge, La., were the largest Medicare fraud takedown in history — part of a massive overhaul in the way federal officials are preventing and prosecuting the crimes.

    In all, 94 people — including several doctors and nurses — were charged Friday in scams totaling $251 million. Federal authorities, while touting the operation, cautioned the cases represent only a fraction of the estimated $60 billion to $90 billion in Medicare fraud absorbed by taxpayers each year.

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    Re: $Millions spent for stimulus road signs

    Quote Originally Posted by smokin3000gt View Post
    The point of this thread wasn't/isn't to point the finger at obama. I think we all know he has much more important things to deal with then buying highway signs. And I agree that this is small potatoes which is my point. If we (they) can't keep expenses down on road signs, how can we not expect to go belly up when health care takes full effect?

    I don't care who is in office, right now they have to be smarter with our money. If they want to spend the way they have been, then they need to conserve where they can. I know that $5, 10, 20 mill is peanuts to our government but that shit adds up quick.

    And I'm not saying that this didn't happen under Bush. Tony mentioned the .50 ketchup. That's the kind of small potato shit I'm talking about. Again, the president doesn't sign the purchase order or shop around for ketchup packets or road signs but the person who does should be held accountable and do a better job.
    i totally agree. and heres a completely non-partisan take on what i think is a major source of the problem. we live in a culture of waste in a macro and microeconomic level.

    from the government standpoint there is kickbacks, bribes, and the good ol boy network where buddies know the when and wheres of all the lack of oversight. most people turn a blind eye to the problem because 'everybody does it" or its just small potatoes.

    from a much smaller standpoint, i can easilly think of $1000 worth of food i throw out each year and energy i waste. sure, its a tiny fraction of of my yearly budget, but that money sure would make for a nice christmas for my daughter, or help pay for a yearly vacation.

    Quote Originally Posted by MasterOfPuppets View Post
    part of a massive overhaul in the way federal officials are preventing and prosecuting the crimes.
    a massive overhaul?

    that almost sounds like "change". now thats the type of change i can believe in. these guys (all of em) in the public and private sector have been running a racket for years and its about time a dent is put in it.

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