States that are falling apart
24/7 Wall St. Sam Stebbins 10/30/2017 (Posted here 3:30 P.M., 28 November 2017)
3. West Virginia
> Roads in poor condition: 8.2% (25th highest)
> Deficient bridges: 17.3% (5th highest)
> Dams at high hazard risk: 71.0% (3rd highest)
> Highway spending as pct. of total: 7.9% (14th highest)
We are the 14th highest in spending on our roads, but have the pleasure of being the 25th worst in the Nation. Where is the money going and we just committed another $1.6 Billion on this?
Think the folks got sold a bill of goods on that deal. Folks may well have gotten no Justice from Justice?
Seems we should be thinking a bit about those Dams and Bridges out there as well or maybe instead?
Will probably regret this, but want to thank all the folks who had the "decency" to wait until AFTER Thanksgiving to put up the Christmas Decorations. Last year was so bad that some of the dummies had them up before Halloween. Again, thank you folks.
The P'burg folks seem a bit hung on either image or taking care of the City needs? That new splash pool will have some advantages for pulling in a bunch of tax dollars from people coming from all over the Wood County area and maybe some from Ohio, but with that pool up in Marietta, can't expect a lot of traffic from there?
Was a bit concerned that a few people are complaining about the surface on the pool. I can understand the concern, but to build it for such a small population base is going to be a bit of a financial stretch if one is looking at the best bang for the buck overall? And the teenager there at that meeting feeling left out is probably true if the Truth be known. Teenie boppers are not likely to stay interested for long if at all? And that is a group that needs to be kept occupied for their own best interest.
And one can not down play the need for taking care of needs as one guy put it out for more attention to the needs of the City versus another toy. I am going to suggest that Mr. Yeager is blowing a lot of smoke if he really thinks a large business is going to move here because of a splash park? He must be taking stupid lessons from some of the Vienna folks?
A sincere business is going to look at infrastructure like sewer/ water, street maintenance, Public Safety and are the schools any good? Is the work force capable of passing a urine test? Little things like that are far, far more important than a splash park.
Build it if they will, but don't try to B.S. the people footing the bills. Without exception, this area is over taxed to the max and blowing a cool million on a toy might be a tough sell?
And speaking of over taxed, the new Fire/ Police Fee (Tax), in P'burg is a fanny kicker. I am all in for a fair wage package be it wages, benefits, but what the City of P'burg has done with its current pension plan is what I call "legalized theft". Sure those guys/ gals put themselves on the line everyday. I for sure can not argue that point, but when their pensions become more than most of the working people paying the bills, something has gotten out of whack.
Mr. Yeager talking about a business moving here with those kind of Fees (Taxes), being stuck to the folks and businesses is going to make a few raise their eyebrows at what the Hell is going on there? Those pension plans should have a MANDATORY employee contribution that helps to meet the bucks at the end of the tour.
But at least some supposedly for three new Fire Stations?
Just like here in Vienna, every dollar in salary/ wages has a 9% employee free contribution by the Tax Payers EACH and EVERY year. So that $1.00+ .09 the first year is $1.00+ .19 the next year and so on. Now multiply those numbers by the thousands of dollars the City awards to all some years and it is getting huge too. A $3000/ year raise which is not uncommon plus that 9% is really $3270. the first year alone. 'nuff said'.