IL is broke and in major debt. so what does it do? spends $670 on doors to the capita

[waggy]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-illinois-capitol-renovation-0906-20130906,0,3518116.story

The barricades that have blocked access to the west wing of the Illinois Capitol have started to come down after roughly two years of construction, revealing a host of changes aimed at restoring the 1860s building to its former glory and raising questions about the project's $50 million price tag.

Outside, utilitarian glass doors have been replaced by hefty wood ones coated in glistening copper. The cost for the three double-doors? Nearly $670,000.



Il is in really bad shape. But with how they are spending money you wouldn't notice. its amazing but nto to much of a shock.

What would shock me is if we don't hear how the door maker was connected with someone high up and that the doors should have really cost $4k each to make.

 

[K1052]

It isn't widely known but the state buildings that were rehabbed as part of this program were in terrible (even dangerous) shape. Asbestos, mold, you name it.

They probably went a little overboard on the historical details for the capital though.

 

[waggy]

It isn't widely known but the state buildings that were rehabbed as part of this program were in terrible (even dangerous) shape. Asbestos, mold, you name it.

They probably went a little overboard on the historical details for the capital though.

yeah many state buildings were in bad shape. but man $670k on doors? WTF!

 

[PricklyPete]

Wow...each door costs more than my primary house. Talk about judicious spending!

 

[halik]

yeah many state buildings were in bad shape. but man $670k on doors? WTF!

About in agreement about updating historical building, but I paid less for a townhouse in lincoln park than what those fucking doors ran.

$535,808 for materials and fabrication, $55,800 for project management and $78,000 for installation.

Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2013/09/05/2781223/critics-say-illinois-capitols.html#storylink=cpy

Pics of the doors:
http://www.bnd.com/2013/09/05/2781223/critics-say-illinois-capitols.html

 

[SpatiallyAware]

It's the modern progressive utopia Illinois, not at all surprised about this.



And I would bet good money that some politician's wife's brother's son owns the door company.

 

[K1052]

yeah many state buildings were in bad shape. but man $670k on doors? WTF!

That's what happens when you let legislators make all the decisions on something like this. A number of years back they torpedoed a replacement building for the Illinois State Police because they wanted new office space before anyone else gets it. The existing state police building had to have floors shut down due to highly toxic molds.

 

[chucky2]

As much as we know how bad IL is crooked and broke, and as much as I deride it for being like that, I would agree with this from the article:

""It's a national historical landmark building and it seems like the appropriate thing to do is keep it in that status," said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown."

I can agree with that and also believe that this entire project was a kickback to a bunch of businesses, and that we again blew money we didn't have and will continue to not have. Personally I'd rather have us another $50M in debt and maintain historic buildings than have historic buildings go to shit over $50M. That $50M would have been blown on, very likely, something far more BS than the historic buildings, so we mine as well get something worthwhile for our non-existant money.

I f*cking love IL...

 

[Svnla]

Waggy, the title is wrong, it should be $670K, not just $670.

I was like "what? $670 for several doors were not bad at all".

 

[SpatiallyAware]

As much as we know how bad IL is crooked and broke, and as much as I deride it for being like that, I would agree with this from the article:

""It's a national historical landmark building and it seems like the appropriate thing to do is keep it in that status," said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown."

I can agree with that and also believe that this entire project was a kickback to a bunch of businesses, and that we again blew money we didn't have and will continue to not have. Personally I'd rather have us another $50M in debt and maintain historic buildings than have historic buildings go to shit over $50M. That $50M would have been blown on, very likely, something far more BS than the historic buildings, so we mine as well get something worthwhile for our non-existant money.

I f*cking love IL...

I'd agree completely if the doors were 60k, even 100k.

At 670k someone is banking off of the deal.

 

[chucky2]

I'd agree completely if the doors were 60k, even 100k.

At 670k someone is banking off of the deal.

Well yea, of course, it's IL, that's a given. That just goes without saying...

Chuck

 

[Sonikku]

It's called putting your best foot forward. No one notices the mold or asbestos until they're inside. The door in contrast is the first thing you see.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Those are some nice doors, I will say that. But for 670k, you could've mounted a couple Ferrari 458s on hinges, which would have been slightly classier, and the money saved could buy an Illinois politician for a crucial vote on acceptable expenditures for antique doors on public buildings.

 

[Slew Foot]

$535,808 for materials and fabrication, $55,800 for project management and $78,000 for installation.

Actualy cost to build and install, $6000. Lining the pocket of some politicians cousins contacting business, $674,000

 

[waggy]

$535,808 for materials and fabrication, $55,800 for project management and $78,000 for installation.

Actualy cost to build and install, $6000. Lining the pocket of some politicians cousins contacting business, $674,000

$500k for materials and fabrication....whoa....

 

[ss284]

I should get into the antique door making business.

 

[Zaap]

^ Nah. You just need to get in on the political kickbacks racket.

 

[Juddog]

$535,808 for materials and fabrication, $55,800 for project management and $78,000 for installation.

Actualy cost to build and install, $6000. Lining the pocket of some politicians cousins contacting business, $674,000

Gotta launder that money somehow!

 

[Zaap]

The irony is- this isn't even the worst of government waste and abuse. Not even a tiny flake of snow on top of the iceberg. Hell, at least someone got a couple of doors to show for it.

That was a measly $670K extracted from some citizens' never-to-be had jobs and never to be seen paychecks... but hey, rather than have a living they can revel in the glow that some group of bureaucrat assholes have some really nice doors.

Probably quite a few of the very people who's never-to-be-seen money paid for those doors are sitting around cheering for their government benefactors to go take EVEN MORE money they'll never see out of some employer they'll never have's pockets. Because you know, your political masters can *NEVER* have enough.

Maybe they'll get some fancy windows for their masters out of that. Or who knows, maybe master might even get a tile floor.

Stop focusing on government spending too much money- just raise taxes and stop complaining you ungrateful serfs!

 

[Via]

Illinois is my state, but it's corrupt almost beyond repair.

The things that go on here are beyond belief. Have you heard about how state employees raise their salary (sometimes to double of what it was) on their last day of work to dramatically increase their pension? All of that while another government job with another pension is waiting for them as soon as they "retire"?

 

[piasabird]

What IL is doing is nothing. One Tomahawk Missle costs $1.5 Mil. Cant wait till we bomb Syria and pour all our hard earned money down the drain. I think we used like 100 of these in Libya! How many houses will that build?

I thought the president was reducing the size of the Military? This is such a joke.

 

[BlueWolf47]

Well if they are copper doors, maybe they are just making a long term investment so that when they are replaced they can simply melt down the old ones to pay for new ones.

 

[Exterous]

It's called putting your best foot forward. No one notices the mold or asbestos until they're inside. The door in contrast is the first thing you see.

Well, as long as the asbestos isn't airborne its not a problem

 

[LookBehindYou]

The craziest part of the article isn't the $550K doors, it's the $55K project management.

You mean to tell me a project manager got $55K, to manage a door project. $55K, to manage the building and installation of two doors...What. The. Fuck.

 

[cubby1223]

The craziest part of the article isn't the $550K doors, it's the $55K project management.

You mean to tell me a project manager got $55K, to manage a door project. $55K, to manage the building and installation of two doors...What. The. Fuck.

The craziest part of the article is that these abuses of money will never stop. No one will ever be held truly accountable for them. If someone gets fired over it, that person will likely be fired along with a fantastic pension that still provides more income than the average Illinois citizen earns.