We’ll spend your money no matter what

I wasn’t paying attention to this, but it turns out that San Francisco, which already has a fairly comprehensive public transportation system, wants another 1.7 miles underground — at a cost of $1.6 billion.  Think about it.  That cost is almost one million one hundred million for every tenth of a mile.

Now, I know you’re all thinking what I’m thinking:  If San Franciscans are fool enough to spend that kind of money on 1.7 miles, that’s their problem.  Except it isn’t.  You see, the feds have stepped in.  They committed $942 million of that amount (way more than half), and have already given the City $72 million.

What makes it even worse is that (a) the City has no money to meet even its own obligations; and (b) the City’s public transportation ridership is falling, not rising.  What’s fascinating is that, despite these hurdles, which one would assume would doom the project, San Francisco is working hard to find the funds (where, I don’t know), and go forward.

As I said, if San Francisco wants to dig a deep economic hole in order to dig another hole under the City, so be it.  What hacks me is that I’m funding this Progressive boondoggle.  Arrgh!