These signs stimulate my blood pressure.
I was on the highway this weekend when I caught sight of one of those “Project funded by the Stimulus Plan” signs. If you’ve ever seen a bull’s reaction when a red cape is waved tauntingly in its face, then you have a good idea of my reaction.
Matters were not helped by the fact that is was 90+ degrees out and I was stuck, stopped and not moving on the superhighway I had trusted to get me to my destination on time. Which did not happen.
I’ve read that these signs cost us taxpayers anywhere from $5 to 20 million. That would be dollars. And why? Is there anyone who does not know that road construction is paid for by tax dollars? Does that need to be advertised?
Businesses rent billboards to woo customers. Is the government trying to talk us into a purchase? I was not aware that we had a choice. In my experience, we HAVE to get out our checkbooks whenever a politician wants something.
This got me thinking, though (which many would suggest is not a good thing.) Sometimes a sign would be useful to give credit where credit is due. Here are some that I would like to see:
Peg-o-Leg's Ramblings 
I love your ideas. Maybe you should copyright these and get them out there. Lest we all forget those who fought and fight for our country, lest we forget our country was founded on our Lord and Saviour, lest we forget each day we work hard and much of our hard earned dollars go to some cause in the goverment! This country needs an overhaul
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If not an overhaul, then at least a major tweaking 🙂
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You know, I never thought about how much the stupid road project signs cost. Great, now I have something else to be mad about!
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An informed electorate, is an angry electorate.
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So true.
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On the subject of misspent gov. funds – the City of Pittsburgh paid a quarter mill for 250 nice-looking iron trash cans back in 2009. Now 20% of them are missing – a search at local scrap yards showed that the cans had been stolen and sold for scrap metal.
It’s infuriating. A quarter mill is a lot of money for a struggling program, textbooks, the constantly dying-and-revamping transit system… Perhaps the people of Pittsburgh are on to something and we should start pawning off stupid government investements?
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Good idea, except adding to the fury is the fact that the scrapper got maybe 20 cents on the dollar that our tax funds spent to buy those things in the first place.
I was over commenting on your blog while you were here commenting on mine. That strikes me as odd and cool – don’t know why.
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Because it’s super awesome, that’s why. I’m trying to more vocal on your blog about my love for your blog. I figure it’s high time I stop reading and moving on without leaving my stamp.
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Aw, shucks, ain’t you sweet!
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hmm…. not even going there, I’ve just about recovered from my outrage at our taxes being used to pay for a moat plus other stupid things in the expenses scandal the other year…..
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The duck house is what got me. I always wondered if any ducks actually lived there, and why they needed a house in particular. Were they royal ducks? Did they have immune deficiencies? Maybe they were going through duck menopause and Chateau Quack had A/C???
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Moat? Ducks? This is all too weird to be fiction. Who of our elected officials thinks up this stuff? Do they have no sense?
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Don’t get me started…..!!!
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From the looks of things over on your blog, seems like somebody already got you started.
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I won’t respond politically… I’m trying to control my blood pressure! I personally haven’t seen these signs in Maine which could mean several things: we didn’t get any money from the feds; we didn’t invest in the signs; I don’t get out much…
I do love the way you think!!! An attitude of gratitude for what we take for granted goes a long way!!
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I think the signs were paid for by the federal and individual state governments. Maybe smarter heads prevailed in Maine.
I don’t think this is a political – rights vs left – issue. Whichever side we lean to, I think it just infuriates us average-Joe citizens that our government is so wasteful with OUR money.
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I’m just noticing how everyone is in a political toot today. The Bible study class that meets in my coffee shop was livid (hmm, maybe not so unusual). All the blogs are abuzz. This debt ceiling chaos has everyone steamed. Now. Can we turn that energy toward positive outcome? If not an email to our senators, then a frenzy of garden weeding?
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Good advice. I’ll send emails to all my elected officials and then assume the lotus position to become one with the universe again. Ohmmmm
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We have them all over the place too.
Certainly a way of spending money – and alot of it.
Informing the public is one of the responsibilities our Government has to us as it’s people. We should know the how, and the why in relation to how our taxes are used.
In my experience, Government agencies use a variety of methods to inform consumers of the services/resources they are providing.
Providing information to us obviously takes place using a variety of forums. I don’t know what the costs are associated with television, pamphletes, newspaper articles and websites. This may well have not been the most economic way of reaching people.
They DO catch your attention though, even if almost driving you around the bend, (pun intended).
Signs are a very simple way of informing those people who can’t or don’t bother making use of the information contained on government websites, through television adverts or other written documentation.
Plus Side – Someone was paid to put up those signs. That money helped to put food on someones table, feed someones family and pay someones rent or mortage.
Yes it does seem frivilous, and I agree there are other ways to share information, but it’s not all bad.
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Hi there. You’re right that the government needs to tell its citizens what it is doing. However, I object to them using expensive advertising venues unless they’re actually trying to sell something: ie postal services, recruit for military service. Otherwise, there are less expensive methods.
I don’t think that paying someone to do a job that doesn’t need doing is a positive thing.
When the government pays that someone, it’s with money they took forcibly from other someones.
The government doesn’t produce REAL wealth (which is not the same as printing money) – it can only take it from its citizens by force (the understanding that you go to jail if you don’t pay your taxes).
If, instead, you and I and all the other taxpaying someones got to keep more of OUR money, WE would get to spend it on what WE want. I would buy more Dairy Queen blizzards, and shoes, and a new car, and those industries would have more business and they would hire more someones to pay taxes and buy things and on it goes.
Anyway, sorry for going so far around that bend. I really appreciate you chiming in!
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Thanks for the response peg.. 🙂 Much appreciated.. 🙂
I understand your position, and respect it.
I can’t comment specifically about how it compares with other methods of informing the public – as Im not aware of the costs involved with other means.
Whether or not it is a job that needs doing is down to personal opinion. In moderation, I feel the placement of signs is a very visually effective way of informing the public of initiatives being implemented for related infrastructure.
When the government pays anyone to implement a service to its people, it uses tax payers monies. We elect them to do that job, and put our trust in them to do the best for the community they represent.
Sometimes, as you are expressing, they don’t get it right. – Thank goodness we can express our thoughts on that by placing our vote.
I personally do not have an issue with paying taxes. Depending on contracts in place, I have paid up to 40% of my income in taxes. In return, I, and other members of my community have access to wide variety of community based programs and resources, health care, schooling for my children (although I personally choose to place them in private christian schooling). A large portion of our child care expenses are paid, and depending on the structure of ones family unit, recieve tax offsets and assistance when there is the need.
Although I see areas for improvement, and often provide feedback as such, overall, I’m very happy with how I see my money being spent, and feel my families quality of life is improved a result.
Ofcourse, I do live in Australia, and granted not every Australian feels as I do.
I do think this was a good read, and appreciate the opportunity to engage in the discussion.
I especially liked the signs you did – and think they would bade well on the desks of some of those people making decisions that affect your lives, every day.
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Arrgh.
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So brief, and yet so eloquent.
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I think you turned your “road rage” into something very creative and productive. Nice job of this post and much better than shooting someone!
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Thanks, Lorna! Funny you should mention that. While sitting on I-80, taking 1-1/2 hours to go 20 miles, I was thinking about handguns and high-powered rifles. A new appreciation came over me for those who snap on the highway.
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…talking ’bout the scenery, wasting my time,
do this, don’t do that, can’t you see the sign….
Love that song.
Agree that the government did NOT have to spend the money on telling us what they were doing. We noticed those signs last summer in IL and WI, on our trip around the great lakes.
I don’t miss those days stuck in traffic for no discernible reason, when I lived in Chicago.
Be there tomorrow. Look forward to it. No politics, just fam, food and fun conversation!
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Thumbs up. Wit and wisdom combined.
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Thanks so much!
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Great ideas, Peggy! I think our orthodontist should erect a sign in front of his brand new building that says, “This building built by my patients’ parents!”
Wendy
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Now THAT would be truth in advertising, Wendy!
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