Sing it with me! "We're in the money! We're in the money!"
What? What's this? Instead of bringing us wealth and happiness, the planners need more money?
Seems so:
Greenways need help to keep moving forwardAnd will cure the common cold.
By John Cramer, The Roanoke Times
The Roanoke Valley's greenways are used by thousands of pedestrians and bicyclists each day, but an ambitious expansion plan will continue to move at a slow pace without more contributions of money, in-kind services and volunteer labor, greenway officials say.
Since the first greenway was completed in 1997, only nine trails covering 16.8 miles have been built out of the original plan's 51 trails covering hundreds of miles.
Nationwide, greenways have grown in popularity as a way to reduce traffic congestion; promote economic development; improve public health, water and air quality; protect plant and wildlife habitat; and enhance quality of life. (link)
Memo to dimwitted local politicians who are tempted to buy into this nonsense: When you allocate funds for a project that is hyped such that you're told it will "promote economic development," you should expect some kind of economic development. A return on your investment. Here you're being told that your investment in the project has produced ... a need for more investment.
Tell these jokers it's time to put up or shut up. We should gauge their success by the number of employers the planners have brought to Southwest Virginia rather than by the number of "greenways" they have carved across our barren landscape and the amount of hard-earned cash they've squandered.