COST, CRIME CONCERNS RAISED …
Around this time a year ago we did a post decrying another wasteful project being funded with proceeds of the Richland County “Penny Tax.” For those of you who’ve forgotten, this is the controversial tax hike approved in 2012 via what we now know to have been a rigged election.
The project – a totally unnecessary “Greenway” located in a flood-prone area – is not only wasteful on the front-end, it will impose affirmative ongoing obligations on city of Columbia, S.C. taxpayers for years to come.
Especially law enforcement obligations …
This week, we received an email from a source who is adamantly opposed to the Greenway …
Below are examples of Why the Richland County Penny Tax Green-way proposal is very Dangerous, and a TERRIBLE IDEA!!! Cancel the project — and move on to an idea that actually makes sense!!!
Here are the examples the source provided …
Man charged in sexual assault of woman on McAlpine Greenway … (The Charlotte Observer)
Woman sexually assaulted weeks after another attack on Durham trail … (WRAL.com)
Police: Witnesses follow screams, stop rape attempt on Springfield trail … (Springfield News-Leader)
Crime Stoppers: Greenway Rapist … (The Chattanoogan)
Teen girl abducted while running along popular greenway … (WBTV.com)
We tried to get away with referring our source to the original article we published on the subject over a year ago, but they insisted the issue “needed more attention” and implored us to “please post another article.”
“These crooked politicians are getting away with it, again!” the source warned. “Apparently they are having another meeting (this month) and are trying to push it through.”
As we noted in our original treatment of this issue, the new law enforcement costs associated with the project are a big deal – and reason enough for cash-strapped city and county leaders to reject this wasteful project.
Of course the real reason we oppose this greenway is that a new, four-mile pedestrian path does absolutely nothing to fill potholes or perform long-overdue maintenance on heavily-traveled roads in the Midlands area of the state.
Like similarly unnecessary University of South Carolina “streetscaping” projects funded via the 2012 tax hike, this greenway is a totally wasteful, completely unnecessary use of funds specifically earmarked for “transportation” use.
Of course given the prior history of those responsible for foisting this larger $1.2 billion boondoggle on county taxpayers, we can hardly say we’re surprised.
Oh well … as we did a year ago, we urge Midlands leaders to reject this wasteful, unnecessary project and spend their ill-gotten gains on legitimate infrastructure needs.
(Banner via @ColumbiaPDSC)