Gehrig Saldaña
                             

2/11/8  Elites' Sensibilities vs. Taxpayers' Quality of Life

Ch. 8's Brad Watson had a dynamite report last week.

Art projects raise Dallas tax spending concerns (WFAA.com, 2/7/8)

Several years ago, former Councilwoman Sandy Greyson got on a tear about $500,000 (half a million dollars) being spent on "art work" in the tunnel connecting the Love Field parking garage to the terminal. She wanted that half a million dollars spent connecting the terminal to DART light rail!  Of course, Princess Velveeta Lill was appalled that anyone would challenge these make work projects for under-employed and over-charging artists.  Despite Sandy Greyson's valiant efforts to stop wasteful spending of scare public monies, Velveeta and her clique got their way. 

When was the last time you were at Love Field?  Can you describe the art work on the halls in the connecting tunnel between the parking garage and the terminal?  The Love Field website does mention "art" on its home page with this "Art Art Gallery Main Lobby", but there is no link and no pictures of their half million artwork in the tunnel.  They don't seem to be all that proud of it, either; because it isn't mentioned as one of the "Top 10 Reasons to Give Love a Chance".

Time constraints must have limited Brad Watson to only 3 art projects where tax dollars are wasted he could include in his report.  You really should watch the video of his report, as well as read the text.  Two police stations and a recreation center were specifically mentioned, including the Police Headquarters Downtown.  Just those 3 locations costs us $442K in make work art. 

Watson shows how the $165K art project at the South Central Police Substation is not visible due to dew (moisture condensation under the plastic cover).  The city paid the so-called artist $148,500 for this calamity, and is withholding $16,500 until the problem is resolved.  Do you really think that Massachusetts "artist" is going to knock himself out to get the rest of his $16,500 when he's already conned us out of $148,500? 

I just got back from a cruise, and the connecting floor between a bar and the casino (where I spent some quality time) has one of those floor art things with thick plastic or plexi-glass to walk over.  That cruise ship art cover did not have condensation obscuring the art below.  Must be that private enterprise funded artists are held to higher standards than those who are sucking on the public teat.

Watson reports that at each of the 5 new fire stations, the city is spending $30-38,000 on make work art.  Spending money on art work while begging for private dollars to "outfit" the stations with working equipment and exercise equipment for the firefighters.  What do you think is most important to a firefighter?  Staying fit and healthy or being aesthetically stimulated?

Since the days of Mayor Annette Strauss and Councilwoman Lordi Palmer, we have required almost all city projects set aside 1.5% of the building budget for art work.  It was stupid then, and has not gotten less so in the last 20 years.  Watson reports we spend over $1 million annually just on these art projects.

It doesn't stop with the city wasting millions on art projects.  DART is held to the same wasteful rules.  At a time when DART is a Billion Dollars in the wrong direction, it seems like we could forego all the art work included in the light rail stations.  Keeping them a simple, uniform design might get rail to DFW and/or Irving on time, if at all.  Nothing is spared by the vandals and graffiti terrorists.  So, why not be sensible and not spend millions decorating the new light rail stations with expensive art details that will not hold up to the onslaught of vandalism?

While we are on the subject of DART, did you know they operate light rail on the "honor system".  There is no one to take your ticket.  There is usually no one to protect you from the bad guys, who certainly don't bother to pay for their ride.  Wouldn't it make sense to have a DART person at every station to collect your ticket and at least pretend to offer some security?  The windfall from actually collecting fares from all riders would more than pay for the employee and probably generate a positive cash flow for DART.  If not that process, then create a gate that could not be breached without inserting a DART pass or ticket.  Other cities expect mass transit riders to pay something. 

I don't know about you, but my preference is for DART to spend money on security at the light rail stations, not on art.

Something else Brad Watson noted in his report was that the artist who got $234,500 ($240,000 less $5,500 held back until he fixes his problem) for the non-revolving sculpture located in the interior of the Police Headquarters is from New York.  The artist who flunked his science classes but still landed the job at the South Central DPD Substation is from Massachusetts.   We should spread a little of that arts waste charity among local artists.

Wonder how much of the billions that went into Boston's Big D was spent on art in the tunnel?

When you drive around this city and see the terrible condition of our "planted" medians, think about the city spending $1 Million annually on art work that no one knows exists or even notices.  Imagine what $20,000 would do to spruce up the entry way to your neighborhood.  That's some aesthetic stimulation that we could all enjoy.

The city representative interviewed by Watson certainly wasn't enthusiastic in her defense of the waste.  Talk about charisma-challenged!  She had a mantra to recite and did not allow herself to get off-message.  Basically, the elite will spend our tax dollars to force "art" on the community whether we want it or not.  The elite know what is best for the masses.

Watson mentioned a mural in a meeting room at Grauwyler Recreation Center costing $37K.  I have been in that center many times for meetings, and I never saw that mural.  I have seen that hideous tiled monster across Harry Hines from the Rec Center.  That thing was forced on the Park Dept. through the feed a starving artist program.  It was supposed to sit in front of the Rec Center, but someone with common sense had it put as far away as possible.

Let's start raising some noise about this waste of our tax dollars.  If there's $30-38,000 to spend on art at each of the new fire stations, it should be spent on the firefighters' real needs -- not make work projects for out-of-state con artists who can't make a living without ripping off taxpayers. 

If we are going to waste tax dollars on art, let's mandate that only Texas residents are eligible to rip off Dallas taxpayers.

If the elite want art work in all of our public buildings, let them donate the art.  Since average taxpayers don't hit the city up for tax abatements, we should not be forced to pay for art projects.  There's always the trade off of requiring anyone who wants a tax abatement to set aside 1.5% of their building project for art that is available for public viewing. 

Hopefully, Brad Watson is going to continue to expose all this wasteful spending on "art" work that don't work and done by out-of-state con artists.  He really did a great job on this one.

sb