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By Barton Lorimor Email | @bartonlorimor
* Remember this story from a couple of years ago…
As federal spending watchdogs keep an eye out for $100 hammers, Illinois is getting away with $669,608 doors.
That’s right: The broke-as-a-joke Land of Lincoln, with its abysmally funded pension system and toilet-level credit rating, is dropping major coin to renovate the Capitol building in Springfield.
Yes, those copper doors. Remember all of the jokes, editorials, column inches, and moments of precious air time that were devoted to this story? Perhaps not quite as much as has been said about how much better Indiana is than Illinois. Surely such a blessed land would never…
A proposal scheduled to go before Indiana lawmakers later this week would spend nearly $875,000 on new doors for the Indiana Statehouse.
Gov. Mike Pence’s Indiana Department of Administration wants the money because officials say they’re worried about security issues regarding six doors that let government employees enter and exit the statehouse.
Oh.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 6:42 am
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Well the can hoist them up now…..
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 7:22 am
I bet illinois can give you a solid deal on a set of gently used copper doors that will be plenty secure. Going rate is $875,000 per set.
Comment by Strangerthings Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 7:51 am
A solvent state upgrading security vs. An insolvent state spending for show. And the story is?
Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 7:54 am
Last Bull Moose:
If it has to be explained to you then you are clueless.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 8:02 am
Another clear example where Illinois leads, and Indiana follows.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 8:05 am
Video:
http://wishtv.com/2015/08/12/new-statehouse-security-plan-is-pricey/
Gearing up for Rauner’s invasion:)
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 8:16 am
Big difference is Indiana can actually pay for the doors.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 8:32 am
It would be a good comparison if Indiana were in financial ruin like Illinois. But, Indiana’s finances and economy is fine. If they want to spend a ridiculous sum of money on doors, good for them. For someone who can’t pay his bills, though, like Illinois, there is no excuse for spending so much money on doors.
Comment by What? Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 8:32 am
Don’t see a story that puts Illinois in a good light. The attack on the Canadian Parliament would have legislators everywhere checking security m
Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 8:33 am
@Demoralized, you clearly just don’t get it. This may come as a shock to you, but some states outside Illinois spend based on providing service and increasing security as opposed to Illinois where spending is too often spent based on whose pockets will get lined with the taxpayer bucks.
If the Indiana door project is to provide high security from gunman attacks in a lockdown mode, it’s tough to criticize the move when the state has the money for this.
The Illinois door was a vanity expenditure to give the impression of state government wealth which doesn’t really exist.
Confusing these two different functions is something you could only expect from..well…an Illinois public sector employee.
Comment by Arizona Bob Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 8:43 am
You fired up the whack jobs this morning, Barton.
Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 8:56 am
Yes, spend a bunch a money on turn-styles because employees are holding the existing security door open. That’s the Indiana solution.
I’d save the cost and have the guards watch a couple of days and those holding the door open would get the key card badges confiscated and replaced with paper IDs forcing them through the metal detectors with the rest of the public. Do that to several staffers and the word will go around the capitol real quick not to hold open the doors.
But that’s too simple for Hoosiers to think of.
Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:06 am
So when Indiana spends money on a half dozen doors they do so for a legitimate purpose of upgrading security. When Illinois spends money in a couple doors it’s because they look pretty. Yeah, no difference there. \s
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:12 am
Those doors should last 100 years and they are beautiful. There are at least 3 pairs of doors that I can see from the video so that’s 223k a pair then/100 years = 2230 a year, and by 365 days is about $6 a day. Are they heavily used day after day? It is easy to make fun of, but it is the state capitol and a historic building. Maybe it would be cheaper to board up the openings and throw in a few revolving doors or abandon it all together and build a concrete slab building outside of town. Who needs an old building anyway, huh?
Comment by NoGifts Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:13 am
Both sets of doors are for increased security and state capitol building looks. Both sets are very expensive.
The anti-government-spending folks in Indiana are right now publicly complaining about “waste, fraud, and abuse” over the Indiana doors. That’s why they hit the news.
Maybe they can afford perceived “waste” more than we can.
Comment by walker Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:13 am
This is the end
Comment by The Captain Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:15 am
And here I thought this was a discussion about riders on the storm…
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:17 am
==And here I thought this was a discussion about riders on the storm…==
Thank you! I was starting to wonder if I was the only one…
Comment by Agricola Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:20 am
Into this house we’re born
Comment by Under Influenced Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:21 am
Someone ought to look into the fancy new digs The Architech of the Capitol has built on the 6th floor of the Stratton Building.
Comment by The Electrician Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:36 am
- Ghost - Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 7:22 am:
Well the can hoist them up now…..
I see what you did there.
Comment by Scholarlyish Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:38 am
Into this world we’re thrown
Comment by Bocephus Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:41 am
We need a new state constitution. It would only be our 5th after all. We would still be 6 constitutions behind Louisiana.
Comment by Strangerthings Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:43 am
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out on loan
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:43 am
Last Bulm Moose don’t forget our chandeliers and stairwell maidens!
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:53 am
The Capitol, the Governor’s Mansion, the Dana-Thomas House-even in a cold winter you’re careful not to burn the seed corn
Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:55 am
@Arizona Bob
Just like Sheriff Joe right? The one who just had US Marshalls seize evidence because he didn’t want to get caught breaking the law right?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 9:59 am
State fair theme…
Take a long holiday
Let your children play
Comment by Under Influenced Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:04 am
You can afford nice things when you haven’t spent your state into the ground.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:06 am
I guess they’re concerned about people who break on through to the other side.
Comment by JoanP Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:09 am
Indiana…the land of milk and honey.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/08/13/indianas-got-a-problem-too-many-teachers-dont-want-to-work-there-anymore/
Comment by Old Shepherd Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:17 am
Apparently the inflation rate on copper is pretty high. Perhaps they should change the material to whatever we’re making pennies out of these days. /s
Comment by A guy Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:29 am
Yeah, that inflation is a (Banned Word).
Comment by Slippin' Jimmy Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:46 am
I should have gone to door school
Comment by Quizzical Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 10:53 am
The big difference is that Indiana is not deep in debt the way Illinois is. Indiana has the money. Illinois doesn’t. The other difference is that Indiana is not run by a super majority of democrats.
Comment by Nobody important Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:04 am
@old Shepard
Kansas has the same problem.
http://dianeravitch.net/2015/08/04/kansas-has-serious-teacher-shortage/
Comment by Tha missin g Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:10 am
@Nobody Important:
“Indiana has the money. Illinois doesn’t. The other difference is that Indiana is not run by a super majority of democrats.”
And your point is…..? Again, is it ‘fiscal responsibility’ to blow nearly $1 MILLION on a set of doors (taxpayer money)? I bet the citizens of Indiana are just made because they spent so little?
Really, that’s your argument? We have the money, so we’ll spend more. Plus we’re not democrats so that makes it 2x better?
Yeah, keep that line of chatter going. It’s very insightful.
Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:35 am
Gosh, why didn’t my parents tell me to be a doormaker? These guys are raking it in.
Comment by W.S. Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:35 am
People are strange.
Comment by White Denim Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:37 am
A proposal is that—simply a proposal. I think that Indiana legislators will close the door on that proposal. Frugal Indiana Republican legislators will seek out cheaper bids and see if they can get the outrageously unacceptable cost down. At least that is what I would like to think will happen.
Comment by Ethan Hawk Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:45 am
=At least that is what I would like to think will happen.=
Yes, because politicians everywhere are well known bargain hunters.
And Indiana is just smarter and better, why else would their economy be less than half of Illinois? Err….
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:49 am
Maybe they can hire some of the teachers Chicago is laying off.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:53 am
Why would their economy be less than half of Illinois? Not that Illinois having twice the population has anything to do with it.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:57 am
The only clear distinction is that Indiana is solvent.
Comment by Keyser Soze Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 12:05 pm
= Not that Illinois having twice the population has anything to do with it.=
Yeah, that is meaningful. Since Illinois isn’t in ANY danger of shrinking to that size any time in the next century. Mass Exodus truthers not withstanding.
Their economy is 45% of ours, but population is 51% so, they need to step it up.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 1:00 pm
Anon, do you think you’re making any sense?
Illinois and Indiana share the same geography, climate and natural resources.
Yet Illinois has twice as many workers, twice the population, 2.5 times the GPS and people here are paid considerably more.
And to you, that adds up to Indiana is an economic utopia compared to Illinois.
You make no sense.
Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 1:12 pm
Illinois’ doors are cheaper because they only have to swing one way…outward.
Comment by nixit71 Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 1:38 pm
Worker’s comp, it is all because of the workers comp costs.
Oh, wait. That would make their doors cheaper. What the heck is going on here?!
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 1:42 pm
Makes sense to me and js mill, who offered a very astute and rational reply.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 2:59 pm