Re: Old High School

[Dale Goble <gobled@uidaho.edu>]

On Wed, 8 Jul 1998, John and Laurie Danahy wrote:

>  On Wed. 8 Jul 1998, Dale Goble wrote:
> 
> > A contractor for a public project may also have to jump through
> > affirmative action hoops because we as a society have concluded that it
> is
> > important to take steps to change the effects of racist behavior.
> 
> Again this is correct.  And it is appropriate for tax dollars to be used
> this way.  However, this does not relieve local government of the need to
> be responsible and think in the long term.  Especially when it is proposed
> to increase tax dollars to fund the project.  It surley is more
> responsibile to look at other alternatives, a process that may take some
> extra time, rather than rely solely on tax increases to fund public
> projects.


I doubt that anyone would argue for wasteful expenditures.  My contention
is that the cheapest present cost is not necessarily the best choice
because 
(1)	it often has a shorter life span and/or higher upkeep;
(2)	it often is ugly -- compare the Lane County Courthouse with the
	courthouses constructed in the last century;
(3)	there often are other social values that trump the lowest-cost
	choice AND people who dislike the social values often cloak
	themselves in the role of cost-savers when they are actually
	attacking the social value.

Dale Goble
Moscow