December 16, 2007

Small Potatoes

The state paid $20,000 more for a new wheelchair lift at Legislative Plaza than the price the contractor bid, The Tennessean reports. Small potatoes. I mean, when the state is spending $20 million on a renovation and largest-in-the-country lavish underground ballroom at the governor's mansion, more than $12 million from taxpayers, a $20,000 cost overrun on one small part of another big renovation project is no big deal. It's not like the administration lied to the people and said the Plaza renovation was being paid for with private donations when most of the money was actually coming from taxpayers.

Besides, just because cost overruns doubled the initial cost of the Plaza renovation to $3 million, that doesn't mean the $20 million cost of the mansion renovation is going to rise any more than it already has.

And if it does, I bet the Bredesen administration won't stick taxpayers with the extra tab. You can trust them.