Thursday, February 24, 2011

(I Think I Need a Title)

Recently there has been some controversy between the city council and the Emporia residents over the entrance monument that is to be placed at the emporia city limits. The controversy involves the cost of the monument which is estimated at $141,265. The residents of Emporia where given no prior knowledge of the monument stone until a down payment had already been payed. The taxes that we as citizens pay is going toward the purchase of the stone, and this didn't make the citizens of Emporia very happy either. They feel that the money could be better spent on other projects to improve Emporia. There were a variety of ideas on how the money could be better spent. One was improving the downtown area by updating the store fronts. Another idea was to use the money to repair the older streets. can you think of better ways that the money could be better spent? Should the locals have been asked to vote on this? Do you think it will help increase tourism?

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a picture of the entrance monument


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17 comments:

  1. KarlyFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    That's stupid! $13,000 dollars on a freaking rock! We could have used that on roads, the schools, and other great stuff instead of a rock. It's a total waste of money!

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  2. eandrewstplcFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:27 PM

    I agree that this was kind of a dumb thing to do. I mean, I think if you are going to spend this much money to make a part of a town look nicer, you might as well spend it on the downtown or parts of the town that aren't as nice. The taxpayers would be a lot more happy with their money being spent on something like that.

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  3. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:44 PM

    Wow I would spend it fixing the roads and all that, like the potholes and brick streets. The rock seems like it's pointless. If I were them I wouldn't be spending on things that they want, when we need other things fixed, then we could pretty it up with the money that's left.

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  4. HunterFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    I would understand why people would be upset.There are many ways that the money could have been used. I do not agree with the idea of going downtown and change the fronts. I personally really like how it is it is just like old times and it is cool how it is build. I do like the idea of getting rid of the old roads so it may be a little safer.I think it would have been good to pay some money to schools. Because I have heard things on schools being shut down and with 6th graders coming to middle school and 5th graders going to elementary school they are going to need money for space and other learning things. I also think when the city makes decision on thing i think they should also have the city vote. I do not think the monument will be helpful for tourism because people drive by so fast they do not see it.

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  5. PetziezD'PossumFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:53 PM

    Although I do think the entrance monument does look good, I also think that the money could have been better spent. It could have been spent for other necessary things, such as road repair. I do think that locals should have been asked to vote on it. I'm not sure if it will increase tourism. It's just a sign.

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  6. elijahtplcFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:54 PM

    Hmmm.... $13,000 for a pillar just to say "Welcome to Emporia." Kinda Redundant to all the rocks big that we have here in Kansas. Sucks for the people who spent the money just for a plain old everyday rock.

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  7. Omaraboy7February 28, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    I think this was a stupid thing to "invest" in. This money could be used for much better things. I don't understand why we don't use the money to actually "benefit" Emporia instead of using it for a big stone...

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  8. PamelaFebruary 28, 2011 at 1:39 PM

    WOW 13,000 dollars for a rock that isn't even necessary in the first place. I do think that it is a total and complete waste of money. With the last question " Do you think that it will attract more tourist" I have one thing to answer to that. I do not think that it will attract tourists. Why would tourist come here? That is my question. To see the many McDonalds we have here. Because that is outrageous they could have spent that money on better needed stuff here in Emporia. Like a donation for schools. To get Smart boards, or anything they needed. I just think that, that money could've been bought better.
    Rachel

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  9. Sydney TPLCFebruary 28, 2011 at 7:47 PM

    I think that is a bad idea to spend $13,000 on a rock that has been carved to put at the entrance. This money could be much better spent on things like sports things and that is better than spending it on a rock to the entrance of a city. So my question is, what were they thinking when they bought a rock and carved into it to put at the entrance? I think that they should have listened to recommendations from the city and at least asked what they wanted to be the monument for the city of Emporia. I believe the streets are fine and they should be spent on stuff that every one would use that would benefit you like sports center. That is my opinion to this matter if you have any comments about my comment then comment.

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  10. 2pennychrisMarch 1, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    I also think it is a rather odd idea to have a rock just to say "Welcome To Emporia". I mean isn't that what city limit signs are for. Especially since that rock cost $13,000. I think that is a little over exaggerating. If the people of Emporia knew that it would cost $13,000 I would think that they would argue and debate with the city of Emporia and try to get them to not put it up.

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  11. fallentplcMarch 1, 2011 at 2:49 PM

    I think the decision of making a down payment on the monument before we were informed was a very sneaky way of using the citizens of Emporia's money. I think that a better way of using the tax money would have been either to use it on the school district arts/music classes and materials. If they don't use the money for art classes, how are adults of the future to make different types of monuments for cities? Also, I don't think that it will help Emporia's tourism because...really, what does Emporia, Kansas really have that is all that amazing and how is a rock supposed to help a tourist to be attracted to it? I think that this was a foolish choice of Emporia and if they would have involved the citizens, I believe that this would have been vetoed. I think that we should have been able to vote for this decision...Isn't it the "our" money?

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  12. wrdyertplcMarch 3, 2011 at 4:54 AM

    I do agree it is kind of dumb they could be improving streets that have brick roads or even give our school a school zone. I think it should've been voted on because it seems like a waste of taxpayers money. No I don't think it will increase tourism because the people who are right outside of Emporia probably are there for a reason.

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  13. RaegenMarch 9, 2011 at 1:11 PM

    I think there may have been a typo according to the site they made an estimate of 100,000 for 4 monuments but ending up planing for 6 with a cost of 141,000. 4 have been made so far. I think this is a humongous waste of our taxes. They complain about not having enough money for schools or roads and they go and spend 100,000 on four rocks!

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  14. KreedMarch 25, 2011 at 3:03 PM

    I believe paying 100,000 on four rocks that say Emporia on it is ridiculous. That money is going to something that could be replaced with some aluminum signs. Instead that money could go to education or hunger. That money could better society instead of showing off by having big monuments.

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  15. Tyler arndtMarch 29, 2011 at 7:52 AM

    I think that that is to much money for a monument. But I think it has a chance to improve the tourism which is very little in Emporia. I think they could have used this money way better, fixing old streets for one. They could have repaired buildings, make our downtown look nicer. There is lots of things they could have done with this money. I think the locals should have voted on it because I agree it looks nice but is it really that nice for $13,000 to be spent on. If they would have voted I think more votes would be going in the opposite favor, and we would have that money.

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  16. tdwinansJune 13, 2011 at 11:33 AM

    I think that this money could have been much better spent, we could fix up old building, road, help ur homeless population and the tax payer should have been told where their money was going. I don't think a slab of stone is going to help tourism.

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  17. JamesmanJune 15, 2011 at 3:00 PM

    I think that the rock was a waste of time and money. Of all of the things $140,000 could to to better the city of Emporia they spend it on a rock, I don,t thing there is anything more disappointing that that

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