NPR’s new headquarters refuels funding debate

The Washington Post ^ | 06/21/13 | Paul Farhi

[AtlasStalled]

NPR’s gleaming new headquarters building in the shadow of the Capitol in Washington has soaring ceilings, a 24-hour “wellness” center, an employee gym and a gourmet cafe staffed by a resident chef.

[kingu]

Oh, come on, they are a non-profit! Of course they need all the perks of a high energy new media company that is raking in the cash! Just because it is our cash they are raking in through tax breaks and taxes doesn’t mean they should scrimp! I mean, come on, they are competing with college stations with $2 budgets for Pete’s sake!

[Rennes Templar]

Feeding from the same trough as the IRS “seminars”.

[Vision]

This is why DC’s zip codes are the most expensive in the nation. Living the good life off others.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I know how THIS is goin’ down.

“So....then the Republicans would prefer to have a big, expensive. new EMPTY building??”

Game, Set, Match.

[buffaloguy]

Most radio stations in which I have worked can fit inside a Subway with room left over. Public radio is well known for their palatial digs. It is a massive waste of tax payer money.

Actually the group I worked for ran two radio stations in a Subway sized store front.

[DustyMoment]

NPR’s gleaming new headquarters building in the shadow of the Capitol in Washington has soaring ceilings, a 24-hour “wellness” center, an employee gym and a gourmet cafe staffed by a resident chef.

Wowsers! When and where do they get any work done?

Oops, my bad. They're quasi-government employees. They aren't EXPECTED to get any work done!

[Westbrook]

> “So....then the Republicans would prefer to have a big,
> expensive. new EMPTY building??”

Not at all.

I say we THE PEOPLE who own it lease it to PAYING tenants.

NPR should have its tax exemption revoked and be made to compete like any other news organization.

Just because the superciliously affected diction of their “newscasters” appeals to effete pretend-intellectuals, they’ve been given a pass on our dime.

[Marathoner]

NPR = National Socialist Radio

[DeFault User]

I thought it was National Palestinian Radio. ;o)

[PeterPrinciple]

NPR is also a creative enterprise, which means you have to have a workplace that cultivates openness, exploration and creativity in its staff, and that attitude DOES filter down to the local level.

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From the comments at the site. What do you know, they do believe in the trickle down theory for the peons.

[wally_bert]

Ive been around public radio some myself and have seen the overkill on space.

[Amendment10]

There is no funding debate concerning NPR. Military issues aside, the states have never delegated to Congress via the Constitution the specific power to tax and spend for organizations like NPR.

[stanne]

However the heck this goes down in the media, these guys ESP republicans had better start transcending short term effects on their reputations.

They are all including us going to go down in history very badly

The very basic situation here regardless how we are annoyed by these people at NPR is that we and especially they but the enabling republicans are

Taking money directly from our children

NOT from the rich

They are taking money from our children as they are borrowing from the future

So they all need to get their minds and activities off the golf course, the cocktail party circuit and the sex as a hobby activities as well as their money raking and laundering and grow up. All of them. Except the one the only one there might be a couple of them who is already acting like a responsible caring virtuous adult.

[PeterPrinciple]

What’s more, NPR officials point out, the new headquarters wasn’t financed with tax dollars, at least not directly. The organization raised funds through a combination of tax-free bonds, individual donations and the proceeds from the sale of its old building.

In addition, the District granted NPR $40 million in tax abatements and froze property taxes on the site for 20 years as part of a deal to keep NPR from moving out of the city. NPR had considered a site in Silver Spring.

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for those that only read headlines...................

[American in Israel]

Pays well to dance with the devil, till the music stops.

[Cyber Liberty]

I’ve worked at a few stations myself, including NPR, and I can agree with you they have the best outfitted studios in the country, probably the world. I had never seen such opulence in a private station, although I did work in one that was pretty awesome. It was in a small town in E. Texas.

Every big-city station I worked in was tiny and equipped with old stuff. Usually the transmitter was the only up-to-date item. Having high ratings didn’t mean you got good equipment. But having the government pay the fright meant you did, especially if the ratings sucked.

[IronJack]

Serving as a mouthpiece for highly placed leftist goons has its rewards.

[DennisR]

Hm...”leech” comes to mind.

[reg45]

The expensive new building could be rented to some other organization.