I could be wrong, tho, I was wrong once before, a long time ago.
On the other hand....maybe it will be good for their economy and I will have that much less tax dollars to fork over.
Probably not.
Maybe the second liners will finish off the City?
They market themselves as the City of Irresponsibility nearly as much as Las Vegas does.
I didn't wanna bailout NO when things got wet, AND I don't wanna bailout LV when things get dry.
I'm never wrong. I thought I was wrong once, but I was wrong.
If they bring in more dinero than is spent, then it would be a sound idea if that profit is put to good use.
Of course, those are two "ifs."
I can see why they'd want to have a semblance of normalcy, and hope they made the right call, but with Nagin...chances are if it pans out to be a positive cash flow it will be dumb luck.
Morale thing. Mardi Gras brings money into the city, too, which we kinda need. It's actually a moneymaker.
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New Orleans is a Chocolate Party Town.
Cut them some slack!
it's not unlike an Irish Wake .... after great sadness, folks have a need to celebrate, party, and generally escape their reality. Mardi Gras is paid for by the participants, not the city, state or any other tax source.
The Krewe members I heard in interviews, who'd lost everything material, seemed to be celebrating being alive. I find nothing wrong with that. I haven't lost my home, ilvelihood, or seen my friends scattered far and wide, so I'm sure not gonna judge negatively what they do.
Louisiana politicians seem like jerks, but that Mardi Gras will be held is a positive thing IMO. I haven't heard that they are asking the federal government to pay for Mardi Gras, so good for them is what I think. It should bring some honest money into town, as opposed to money raised forcibly in the form of taxes.
Mardi Gras always bothers me
I tend to have the same opinion. It's part of their culture, so I can see how it could give them a morale boost, but there's a part of me that really doesn't like the idea that they are throwing a party when there's been so much destruction.
Mardi Gras is part of them and part of their history. To them it may be an innate pride and a refusal to be beat down that inspired civic-minded organizers, clubs and volunteers to forge ahead with the event despite the almost unbearable obstacles.
New Orleans is not all wastrels and looters. There's many people, including grandmas and grandpas, and little kids, and stressed out workers of all kinds who will hear a little happy night music and see an upbeat parade, and catch some beads, and eat some good things again on the streets.
Maybe it's just their own mental Phoenix rising from the ashes. The continuation of their signature celebratory event has got to boost their morale.
Don't knock people who are already down for having their Mardi Gras. Should everyone in New Orleans walk around forever bowed down with a black cloud over their heads?
On with the show!
Leni
A little more seriously: Hard to object that a community that has been flung far and wide by a terrible (mostly) natural event, should delay the one thing that has united them for centuries. I am not po'd that my tax money has been spent. Hell, there are worse things it is wasted upon.
I've seen conservative estimates that this years Mardi Gras would result in a $300M influx of money to the NO area....money that is desperately needed by the local businesses and community,
The tax influx was estimated around $30M.....
It would seem that the $2.5M would be both responsible and well spent money to prime the Mardi Gras money making pump.
However, it still remains to be seen if this Marti Gras will meet expectations......
I personally prefer they (NO) raise their money through capitalistic endeavors than continue to rely on the Federal teat.....
Well, Mardi Gras gets out-of-towners to spend time and money in NO. Sure the main point of the place is the port. But tourism is its other main industry. Getting local industry up and running again after a disaster is part of the recovery.
