It's So Unbelievable, I Couldn't Think of a Title

Twitter: follow KentShocknek

 

Say you want to build a 10-foot ramp at your house. What do you need? Plywood, nails, and support boards, yes? How much would all that cost? $500, with railings? Now, add labor time: --another $500, just to round things off?  OK, let's calculate the total:  I come up with $1,000.

 

Unless you're a taxpayer in San Francisco, where your tab comes to $699,413. Man, am I in the wrong racket.

 

The San Francisco Chronicle reports online, that San Francisco Supervisors are building a wheelchair ramp in the Board's chambers, that will cost $699,413. Unbelievable. Except you should believe it, because there are a number of lame excuses excellent reasons.... things like the cost of dismantling an already-in-place podium. Also, don't forget to pay  city staffers to supervise the planning,  and private guys to watch quality control. While all this goes on, the Supes will have to meet someplace else. Someplace else that apparently costs $51,042.

 

Again, this ramp is 10 feet long. That comes out to just-less than $70k/ft. --or, put another way-- more $$/foot than the cost of a new Cadillac.   If all this math makes your head spin, don't worry: the project's not done yet.  There are sure to be cost overruns.