Trade Center Memorial Costs Soar
Costs for the new Trade Center memorial have nearly doubled what officials had initially wanted to spend, and are now approaching the $1 billion dollars range. Last year, building the memorial and adjacent museum, which comprise nearly seventeen acres, was estimated at $500 million dollars. However, NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg said recently that costs must be capped at the original estimate. The site is expected to open in 2009. (Incidentally, the WWII memorial in Washington, D.C., cost $182 million dollars, and the Vietnam War memorial, also in Washington, cost a mere $4.2 million dollars).
Let's see; families of those that lost their lives on September 11th want a billion dollars for a memorial, and are receiving an average of $1 million dollars per lost family member. And many of them are complaining that even that is not enough.
Conversely, the spouse of a servicemember who is killed in the service of this nation gets a small death benefit (taxable), funeral costs, and a few hundred dollars a month until they remarry. A few hundred more per child, if there are any, until that child turns 18. And these are families that, in the best of times, earn below minimum wage and have to live off of food stamps. Not to mention the additional hardship of having a familymember away from home for long periods of time, the constant danger notwithstanding. Does anyone see a problem here?
$1 billion dollars for a memorial. For people who, for the most part, were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. No one can doubt the bravery and heroism of the police officers and firefighters that perished, nor can we deny the tragedy that we all suffered that day. We do need to honor their memory and remember the sacrifice of all of those lost. But to spend even $500 million dollars on this project is completely irresponsible! That money would be much better spent on Border Patrol Agents, port security or even on better gear for our troops in harms way.
Let's not lose sight of the big picture.
Let's see; families of those that lost their lives on September 11th want a billion dollars for a memorial, and are receiving an average of $1 million dollars per lost family member. And many of them are complaining that even that is not enough.
Conversely, the spouse of a servicemember who is killed in the service of this nation gets a small death benefit (taxable), funeral costs, and a few hundred dollars a month until they remarry. A few hundred more per child, if there are any, until that child turns 18. And these are families that, in the best of times, earn below minimum wage and have to live off of food stamps. Not to mention the additional hardship of having a familymember away from home for long periods of time, the constant danger notwithstanding. Does anyone see a problem here?
$1 billion dollars for a memorial. For people who, for the most part, were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. No one can doubt the bravery and heroism of the police officers and firefighters that perished, nor can we deny the tragedy that we all suffered that day. We do need to honor their memory and remember the sacrifice of all of those lost. But to spend even $500 million dollars on this project is completely irresponsible! That money would be much better spent on Border Patrol Agents, port security or even on better gear for our troops in harms way.
Let's not lose sight of the big picture.
posted by Cop the Truth at 6:48 PM
2 Comments:
THANK YOU!
... but without that billion dollar memorial, how can we perpetuate the fear that feeds our war economy and mentality? thank you for your post, it truly does reflect our lost perspective ...
... as our government continues to increase money for war machines (to spurn on our economy and increase the profits of the corporations involved) ... it cuts veterans benefits. the level of services our men and women receive is pitiful -- and not just after they are inactive. they are asked to 'defend our nation' in an offensive war (not to mention the questionable reasons and agendas), with minimal support and lies behind their intent ... the psychologocial damage being done by our politicans to our families is eclipsing that of the vietnam war.
... not to mention if you were in the military and decide not to return, there is no support, and some even say they are discriminated against (often just based on their social security number) so that they are pressured to return to duty ... and that pressure/recruiting happens again, and again, and again, and again. they are not even left to live in peace after they make a decision to stop the war in their own life.
we are truly lost ... thank you for your blog.
peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'
I completely agree. And we all will have to live with the results of these failures for a long time to come.
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