Part of the stimulus package that passed Congress last month includes money for a bridge that will primarily benefit one of the richest companies in the world:
REDMOND, Washington (CNN) — Should a bridge that would connect two campuses at Microsoft’s headquarters be funded with $11 million from the federal stimulus package?
Critics of using stimulus money for the bridge say it would give the software giant a break on a pet project. They also say it serves as a warning sign of how some stimulus money is not being used to finance new projects but is being diverted to public works already under way.
Supporters argue the bridge is an ideal public-private partnership that will benefit an entire community while fulfilling the stimulus package’s goal of getting people back to work.
“It’s going create just under 400 jobs for 18 months constructing the bridge,” says Redmond Mayor John Marchione. “It’s also connecting our technical sector with our retail and commercial sectors so people can cross the freeway to shop and help traffic flow.”
Marchione applied for federal stimulus money after costs jumped on the project from $25 million to $36 million. Marchione says the increase in costs were due to a rise in construction prices and because the bridge will be built on a diagonal in order to connect Microsoft’s original East campus with a newer West campus that are split by a public highway.
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“We’re not a one-company town,” Marchione says. “Our traffic studies show that Microsoft traffic would be about 42 percent of the bridge, yet Microsoft is paying for about 50 percent of the bridge, so we think we are getting fair value.
“The United States taxpayer is leveraging their dollars, and I think everyone is getting a fair deal.”
To be fair, Microsoft is paying for about 50% of the cost of the bridge, we’re paying for the other half.
Of course, why taxpayers outside of Redmond should be paying for any of this is another question entirely.
It does reveal that Microsoft has gotten much better at lobbying DC since the anti-trust lawsuit nine years ago.
Bridges for Billionairs? Why are spending $11M to build a bridge for Microsoft when WA state is considering shutting down state parks for lack of funds? Microsoft has $20B in the bank. It is outrageous that we should pay for tree-lined bridge for them when there are so many other needy people and projects. Hey Microsoft, pay for your own bridge!
Has anyone looked at an ariel map of that area? One end of the bridge actually will connect to a *city* road that Microsoft just happens to be located upon. The other end of the bridge will connect to a circuit road (not straight into a parking lot, gotta love how the press words things to give the most negative impact) that goes around the Microsoft West Campus and connects two city roads avoiding about 5 sets of traffic lights. Both ends of that circuit road will be about a block from an entrance to the 520 freeway.
Get your facts straight and do your own research before screaming about the sky falling Chicken Little.
Still no reason why I, who live in Virginia, should be paying for a bridge in Washington
I don’t want to pay for the bridge, either. It isn’t like you can’t get there another way. What a waste!!!
Washington state should build their own city bridges.
I live in this state. Gates could fund this himself for his buildings. This is sickening!!! I am paying Bill Gates for his follies. Thanks BOB!