Do you think if the following lavish expenditures had been spent on bridge repair, lives may not have been...?

Question

lost in Minneapolis on Wednesday?
$776 million to build a new Twins stadium.
$97.5 million on the North Star commuter rail line.
$34 million on subsidies to ethanol producers who have seen a 300% increase in profits in the last year.
$30 million for bear exhibits at the Minnesota and Como zoos.
$12 million to renovate the Schubert Theater in Minneapolis.
$1 million for a replica Vikings ship in Morehead.

Answer 1

yes, i agree completely.

Answer 2

Was this all tax money from the people of Minnesota? Was this State or Federal taxes? Amazing isn't it? I believe in contributing to the arts but bridge inspections command a certain amount of respect and responsibility as well. I can't help but feel that sometimes these things happen even under the best of circumstances. I'm not excusing these people or anyone but I do seriously doubt the government of Minnesota would allow such a tragedy to befall it's citizens if it could have been prevented. This causes a great deal of negative focus on an emotional issue. We have to understand that everyone is human and mistakes do happen. I REALLY believe this was an accidental misfortune.

Answer 3

i think that even if we took that 950.5 million dollars that we spent on lavish expenditures and spent it on the bridge repair the lives lost would have not been prevented. Buildings and actractions are just like people they are born, they live, and the die. I know this sounds crazy but the bridge was born when it was built. Then it lived by staying up holding all those cars and automobiles all those years. Then it died when it collapsed. Things get old. Also, just like how old people get osteoperiosis and they get holes in their bones making them weaker the same thing happens with bridges and buildings EVEN with the million dollars worth of repairs made. Oh, and even if it had been repaired that would have just made it last 2 or 3 more years and then it still would have collapsed.

Answer 4

I'm near Mankato, Minn. It is mostly due to the fact that voters and citizens of Minn. want these things...I work for a county engineering office and work designing roads and bridges...mostly small country stuff, but the funding is starting to dry up for these things...a law was passed to prevent politicians from using the gas taxes for other purposes other than roads, but the funding hasn't gotten here yet..another problem is that people are using less gas and the tax is on the gallon and not the price of gas....this was a wake up call. Minn is a very prosperous forward looking state and I love it and believe in it.

Answer 5

How about money to fund a war in Iraq

Summary of Iraq War Cost Estimates
CBO estimated the following costs for an Iraq war:

Initial deployment of troops: $9 billion to $13 billion
Conducting the war: $6 billion to $9 billion PER MONTH
Returning forces to US: $5 billion to $7 billion
Temporary occupation of Iraq: $1 billion to $4 billion PER MONTH


I know you are speaking State Money But divide the lowest amount POSSIBLE ( 8.5 BILLION ) by 50 ( per state and you get 17 million PER MONTH ) which the feds are spending on the war - this money could be given to the states

Answer 6

Problem being,these pork barrel projects are what gets the representatives elected.Before that bridge collapse.NO ONE,NOT ONE,NOBODY,said anything about it.No one would have voted for a 1.6 trillion dollar expenditure to repair bridges.Face it,it wouldn't have passed.It is a shame that it happened,definitely,and now,the silver lining,all bridges will be inspected,the needed money will be allocated.It was an accident.If you weren't posting about the dire need for bridge repair BEFORE the bridge,it seems pretty hypocritical to point fingers.Accidents happen,the important thing is to learn from them

Answer 7

Rarely has throwing money at a problem actually made it go away.

You are complaining about a freak accident, like bridges collapse and kill thousands of people a day in the United States but everybody would rather spend money on a sports stadium rather than save lives. Grow up.

Accidents happen. They are tragedies, but no amount of money will stop accidents from happening.

Answer 8

You know what's really frigtening -- that state has the one of the BEST records for maintaining its infrastructure.

It's in the top 5 by all estimates, and in the top 2 by most. Meaning that 45 to 48 states are WORSE at maintaining their infrastructure.

Answer 9

We spend billions on other stuff. Then we wonder why a bridge collapses when there's millions of tons going over it every day.

Answer 10

I do not think that the things / amounts that you listed have any correlation to the bridge disaster. I also think that it is in poor taste that you word the question in this way.

I this world there will be trouble.. Blaming someone does not change that fact.

Answer 11

yes. i gave this some thought in regards to stadiums,seems that quite a few of these infrastructure problems are occurring in cities with pro sport teams