economics, government

How Schumer’s Rochester Inner Loop Project is Like The Twilight Zone

by  •  • 7 Comments

Rochester, NY has a section of expressway that surrounds downtown. It’s known as the Inner Loop. Some people want to fill it in with dirt, or even water to make a canal. The good Chuck Schumer has a plan …

The official press release from Senator Charles E. Schumer reads:

Senator Charles E. Schumer: “Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged the Department of Transportation to select the City of Rochester’s application for a $15 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant, for the City’s Inner Loop East Reconstruction Project. The Inner Loop Expressway is an underutilized and deteriorated highway that isolates Rochester’s downtown from the rest of the City and its vibrant neighborhoods nearby, which creates an impediment to economic activity and business development in the area. This project would remove this obstructive, 12 lane wide section of the Inner Loop Expressway, and replace it with a new, high quality city boulevard. Schumer, standing near the Inner Loop on North Union Street, vowed to push for the City’s application, as the project would reconnect downtown with the rest of Rochester, and set the stage for business development, job creation and economic growth. Schumer noted that city officials have told him that the Inner Loop project would create or retain over 300 jobs initially and up to 3,680 jobs at full build-out, create nine acres of land for further development, and produce as much as $6.86 million annually in new property taxes.”

With apologies to the good Drs. at Cafe Hayek, let’s take a stab at rewriting this to make it a bit more honest.

“Senior Senator and lifetime ‘public servant’ Chuck Schumer has worked diligently to lock-up Rochester, NY area votes. During a photo-op and press conference (he never misses these), the good Senator explained how he was working to force taxpayers in other towns and cities (at the muzzle of a gun), even those in distant states (some not even born yet) to pay for a massive local Rochester construction project. Rochesterians will love their Senator for the “free lunch,” and those in other states, who may not even realize they are being fleeced, can not vote against the Senator from NY.” [note how this model promotes over-consumption]

The dirty little secret here? Senators and Congress-people in the other 49 states are all doing the exact same thing. Reminds me of the classic “Button, Button” episode of The Twilight Zone.

And while we’re here, let’s reconsider any laws/acts with clever names or acronyms.

Related links:
The Best Bet Is Freedom
My Encounter With Royalty, Chaz Schumer Edition
Does Schumer Have The Rx Drug Problem Backwards?!

  • wintercow20

    Bingo. 

    • http://pretenseofknowledge.com/ speedmaster

      Thank you, Sir!  :-)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Benjamin-Napier/1565013519 Benjamin Napier

    Spot on. Every scumbag politican is stealing form the other 49 states to buy votes. Most of the folks paying for the vote have no choice in the matter. So, the beaat goes on, we hate every scumbag politican except the one STEALING  in our name. This is a model doomed to failure, catastrophic failure.

  • MAT

    Your post would make sense if this were a wasteful project. But it is not. The Loop needs serious rehab/reconstruction which will cost more than the project the City of Rochester is planning and which the Senator is supporting. Even right wingers should be on board with this one.

    • http://pretenseofknowledge.com/ speedmaster

      How/when did right-wingers get involved in this thread?  ;-)

      If it really is that necessary, let them take a referendum on a bond or something. At least give people a choice, and don’t force people in other states to pay for it.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZQDVYRSVVOHVQTIFLI5YMJPKSE William

        Speedmaster, by your logic, if it’s about not spending the money, then as there is a net savings as the money to build a new at grade boulevard is less than to maintain this unjustified by traffic expressway, there should be a referendum to keep the section of the inner loop as is.  Maybe I am wrong but the federal funds would be a piece of the long term highway spending so the other states would ultimately see this savings in reduced future costs of keeping this nuisance concrete canyon and bridge network in place.

  • Yishai Shields

    the original loop project in 1956 cost in today’s dollars $248 million
    this loop project will cost 21 mill and will generate 6 mill a year in new tax rev as well as reconnect the urban fabric to facilitate private investment (around $150 mill potentially)
    i think this piece is poorly written and un-researched