Perhaps EMTs Could Pose As Artists And Get Some New Ambulances

One could argue that arts are important to a city’s foundation. I guess I agree. You don’t get to be America’s Next Great City without such great art as the statue from Rocky III, the Geno’s sea of neon and trees covered in gum on South Street.

City Council and Mayor Street, though, don’t think they’ve done enough to foster artwork in the city, so they’ve proposed borrowing $150 million to foster the arts. Yay, good job, so forth, etc.

Right. You’re waiting for the catch. Don’t worry, it’s coming:

But the state agency that oversees the city’s finances warned that the city has already borrowed far too much. And city councilwoman Marion Tasco, an opponent, says more basic needs are going unmet: “We have not been able to maintain the infrastructure of fire stations, police stations, rec and ball fields.”

Well, hey, what’s a few closed down fire stations when there’s a dance troupe to be funded!

Mayor Street Wants to Borrow Millions For Local Arts [KYW 1060]
Sept. 22, 2005: America’s next great city? Really? Us?