“Everything costs more when government builds it,” writes John Stossel in Real Clear Politics. But $2 million for a “comfort station”? In a New York City park?
Government spends more because every decision is tied up in endless rules. Rigid specs. Affirmative action. Minority outreach. Wheelchair access. “The process is designed to prevent any human from using judgment, or adapting to unforeseen circumstances,” says Philip Howard of the government reform group Common Good, adding, “The idea of a commercial relationship, based on norms of reasonableness and reciprocity, is anathema.”
- Obamacare’s website was supposed to cost $464 million. It cost $834 million and still crashed.
- Washington, D.C.’s Visitor Center rose in cost from $265 million to $621 million.
- The Veterans Affairs medical center being built near Denver was projected to cost $590 million. Now they estimate $1.7 billion.
Politicians in New York City order contractors to pay “prevailing” wages, which usually means union wages, which adds from 13% to 25% to all bills. When Mr. Stossel asked NYC Commissioner Mitchell Silver about that, Silver explained why $2 million is such a good deal for a little building housing four toilets and four sinks, before adding, “This is a city that does believe strongly in labor.”
“New York Democrats act as if ‘labor’ means union labor. It’s an insult to laborers. Most don’t belong to unions. Unions, however, fund Democrats’ campaigns.”
Read more from Mr. Strossel here.
