Grants, Government At It's Worse

In an editorial published yesterday, the Director Of Using Up the $3.4 million HUD grant to study Lehigh Valley praised the endeavor. About the most concrete result she could mention was the recommendation that the Lehigh Valley continue to have cute weekend center square farmer markets during the summer, so that low income have access to vegetables. I have criticized this grant before. I wish she had just wasted the money and said nothing, but she felt compelled to justify this taxpayer abuse. Had she at least recommended that full-time supermarkets be induced to open in our center cities, it would have been very expensive advise, but at least of some community benefit. Next summer, if you visit Easton Center Square, have some yuppie goat cheese at $3.4 million a pound.

 Addendum: Here is one of my previous posts on this grant, I have done several: Envision Lehigh Valley has a difficult job, they must spend $3.4 million* of our tax dollars within 3 years, but they're up to the task. An article in today's Morning Call references their fair housing study. Were certain groups discriminated against in the mortgage market? Considering the historically high percentage of non-performing loans and foreclosures, evidence would suggest that anybody qualified for anything. Were certain groups steered to or from certain neighborhoods? I don't know, but what I do know is that when urban school districts are facing substantial teacher layoffs because of lack of funds, and we are wasting money on surveys and study committees, that is real discrimination.

*The Morning Call article refers to $4.3 million,  but rest assure that those bureaucrats will use our money well,  regardless of the correct amount.

Addendum To Addendum.

I was just reading about ReNew Lehigh Valley and sustainable communities. People who need people are the nicest people in the world! These types of organizations spend $millions of dollars in grants to see what the ten yuppies in the valley want to improve their quality of life. Is it a $million dollar a mile train track to NYC to catch dinner and a show? Is it a valley wide health organization to supplement ObamaCare? Should we buy some more farms to make sure we don't lose any of the 33 million existing acres of farmland in Pennsylvania? Meanwhile, step on no toes. Don't say anything about fracking or burning sewage and trash to make energy. Spend grants on surveys and public input meetings, but don't support efforts for a public referendum. People who need people are the nicest people in the world.

UPDATE: I was misinformed,  my apology, now that these organizations are halfway through a three year, $3.4 million dollar grant to get our input (and their salaries) I must man up and admit that I was wrong,  I should have said People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.