Everywhere you turn bulldozers are roaring ... the earth is moving ... and roads are improving. Along with every one of these construction projects there are at least two of signs announcing to Fresno residents these projects are putting America back to work. The cost of those signs ... about $700.00 a piece. A price tag this Fresno resident believes is out of line.
Albert Dominguez said, "I just think the money should be spent elsewhere. Maybe make the signs smaller, so that that much money doesn't have to go to those big signs."
But Fresno's Public Works Director said, "It's more than the cost of "a" sign ... it is labor involved ... to erect it... maintain it ... and take it away."
Wiemiller says along with the city's stimulus money comes a set of federal guidelines Fresno has to follow. One of those guidelines states the city has to put up at least two signs at every construction site. With fifteen projects in the works Fresno expects to spend $21 thousand on signs alone. But if you think that's steep consider this sign touting a runway improvement project at Washington's Dulles Airport ... it costs $10 thousand for one sign. Some locations across the country have opted not to spend the money on these signs, but they run the risk of losing their federal stimulus money. Fresno's Public Works Director says he doesn't want to take that chance.
Patrick Wiemiller said, "I don't want to be in a situation where we'd have to give back 9.3 million after we've spent it."
Washington republicans have tried to cut the funding for these stimulus signs, but the measure failed. The signs will stay ... at least until every bulldozer and every earthmover has left the scene.
