Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The elephant on the corner



The big grey building on the North West corner of 15th Ave. and Washington St. in Phoenix is obvious to everyone. Everyone that is, except Arizona’s elected leaders. Even though it is within sight of the Capitol, they don’t see it.

Due to botched centennial planning followed by stubborn refusal to fix the mess, it still stands empty. Bills to restore the once top rated Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum (at no extra cost to tax payers) have now been killed in committee two years in a row.

Although the buildings only current function is to hold up solar panels installed on the roof with Federal stimulus money, state government continues to provide the Arizona Historical Society with over $400,000 per year for a museum that does not exist in an empty building that is being ignored.

Meanwhile, 50,000 students per year continue to be cheated out of a unique learning experience.

Madness.