Groins, Seawalls and Vanishing Beaches
2011-03-17 - by
The Wilmington Star News has branded the unkind words ‘pay to play’ on Senate Republican Leader Harry Brown, who’s put his political clout behind ‘groin-building’ to help wealthy homeowners who need seawalls (groins) to keep the beaches in front of their vacation homes from vanishing.
The Star News attack on Brown was straightforward: It said he sponsored his bill after a group of groin supporters who live at privately owned Figure 8 Island gave him $22,500 last election.
Brown’s responses were more nuanced: First he announced indignantly he resents the Star News’ insinuation like the blazes. Then he said a bit more lamely if he was guilty of pay to play the Democrats were even guiltier because they took more money than he did. Then, finally, he said his bill won’t cost taxpayers a penny because it doesn’t appropriate any state money and that he hopes the groins will be paid for by local taxpayers or private individuals.
Of course, Brown admitted, there’s nothing to stop him or another legislator from introducing another bill that does appropriate money – so his promise sounds a bit like the old canard, Trust me, you won’t get pregnant.
More to the point – with each groin costing up to $10 million to build and $2 million a year to maintain – Senator Brown’s given beachfront lot owners watching the waves rolling closer and closer to their homes ten million reasons to make another grab for public money.
Groins, Seawalls and Vanishing Beaches
2011-03-17/
The Wilmington Star News has branded the unkind words ‘pay to play’ on Senate Republican Leader Harry Brown, who’s put his political clout behind ‘groin-building’ to help wealthy homeowners who need seawalls (groins) to keep the beaches in front of their vacation homes from vanishing.
The Star News attack on Brown was straightforward: It said he sponsored his bill after a group of groin supporters who live at privately owned Figure 8 Island gave him $22,500 last election.
Brown’s responses were more nuanced: First he announced indignantly he resents the Star News’ insinuation like the blazes. Then he said a bit more lamely if he was guilty of pay to play the Democrats were even guiltier because they took more money than he did. Then, finally, he said his bill won’t cost taxpayers a penny because it doesn’t appropriate any state money and that he hopes the groins will be paid for by local taxpayers or private individuals.
Of course, Brown admitted, there’s nothing to stop him or another legislator from introducing another bill that does appropriate money – so his promise sounds a bit like the old canard, Trust me, you won’t get pregnant.
More to the point – with each groin costing up to $10 million to build and $2 million a year to maintain – Senator Brown’s given beachfront lot owners watching the waves rolling closer and closer to their homes ten million reasons to make another grab for public money.