New Orleans Levee Board: Awash in Pork

This is a must see article:

The unveiling of the Mardi Gras Fountain was celebrated this year in typical New Orleans style. The cost of $2.4 million was paid by the Orleans Levee Board, the state agency whose main job is to protect the levees surrounding New Orleans — the same levees that failed after Katrina hit.

"They misspent the money," says Billy Nungesser, a former top Republican official who was briefly president of the Levee Board. "Any dollar they wasted was a dollar that could have went in the levees."

Nungesser says he lost his job because he targeted wasteful spending.

"A cesspool of politics, that’s all it was," says Nungesser. "[Its purpose was to] provide jobs for people."

In fact, NBC News has uncovered a pattern of what critics call questionable spending practices by the Levee Board — a board which, at one point, was accused by a state inspector general of "a long-standing and continuing disregard of the public interest."

Full Story: MSNBC

This is a shocking example of the corruption that seems to permeate all levels of government in New Orleans. Why did they waste money on things totally unrelated to flood control when that was their primary purpose?

It's a sign of the times, I fear.

Just before *every* empire has fallen, it first went through a stage of coruption at ALL levels.

That's what's going to collapse things.
To blame it on Bush and Co alone, is foolish. The whole system is out of wack.

No single example of corruption can suprise me at this point.

Originally posted by BitRaiser
No single example of corruption can suprise me at this point.

Agreed. In fact, I expect corruption now and am genuinely surprised when it isn't found (which is hardly ever).

$2 Million water fountain. Nice... For a small fraction of that they could have just paid someone to stand out there and throw water in the air all day. It would have made just about as much sense.

Originally posted by Ambient Sound
$2 Million water fountain. Nice... For a small fraction of that they could have just paid someone to stand out there and throw water in the air all day. It would have made just about as much sense.

Yeah, this is ridiculous. I'm sure the fountain is just one example....if they had been investing (or saving) this money, perhaps this NO disaster could have been prevented.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
This is a shocking example of the corruption that seems to permeate all levels of government in New Orleans. Why did they waste money on things totally unrelated to flood control when that was their primary purpose?

Corruption runs rampant in LA. I'm not surprised at this instance.

I love fountains, doesn't everyone? I can't stop the urge when I come across one to make a wish and toss some coins into it. How many years would it take collecting all the coins in the fountain to come up with 2 mil? Any pictures of this fountain floating around?

peace

Seems it was just a restoration of the fountain that cost 2.5 mil. Who did it? Halliburton?

Earlier this year, the levee board did complete a $2.5 million restoration project. After months of delays, officials rolled away fencing to reveal the restored 1962 Mardi Gras fountain in a four-acre park featuring a new 600-foot plaza between famous Lakeshore Drive and the sea wall.

Source





[edit on 16-9-2005 by Benevolent Heretic]

Wow look at all those masonic symbols on the benches around the fountain

Kidding...kidding...I can't make out what they are. Seems to be a popular hangout though doesn't it? (/sarcasm)

Yikes, the pictures keep changing on me....aaaaaah

peace

[edit on 16-9-2005 by StickyG]

[edit on 16-9-2005 by StickyG]

I had the wrong picture at first. It's right now. Here's an article:

Re-Dedication of the Fountain

Thanks for the pics and the link to the article with more pics.

The fence around it sort of ruins the whole ambiance of the fountain IMO.

No wish-making in that one it seems. I agree with the earlier posts that this money was ill spent. I could do SOOO much more with 2.5 million. Seriously.

peace

[edit on 16-9-2005 by StickyG]