Posted on 08/11/2005 1:33:46 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Comptroller William Donald Schaefer and Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. are blocking a plan to fill the House of Delegates' new office building with $2,000 desks, $1,300 chairs and a $4,800 sofa, arguing that legislators should give at least part of the order to a prison labor shop.
Saying that they have State Use Industries furniture in their offices and find it of high quality, Schaefer and Ehrlich essentially tabled a proposal before the Board of Public Works yesterday in which the House sought to buy $2.1 million in furnishings from private sources.
"They're trying to build a Taj Mahal over there," Schaefer said. "It's not right."
Ehrlich said the prison furniture shop can make bookcases, desks, tables and chairs worthy of being used in the $29 million building, which is set to open by January.
"Everybody wants attractive buildings in the public sector," Ehrlich said. "I want it to look nice. The building needs to look nice, but it needs to be done in a fiscally prudent way."
....Ehrlich spokeswoman Shareese N. DeLeaver said that about 80 percent of the furniture in the executive branch offices on the second floor of the State House came from State Use, though most of it was left by previous administrations.
When this administration has bought new furniture, it has generally been cheaper than what was proposed for the House building, DeLeaver said.
For example, Ehrlich got a new bookcase for his outer office from State Use Industries for $189. The bookcases in the proposal for the House building cost between $391 and $840.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Maybe some day the state can get us all to make its furnature.
Nothing like exploitation of slave labor....
....flame suit and PASGT armor on!
...tinfoil too!
I like the idea of prisoners doing something while they pay for their crimes.
I'm just fueling the fire. The US prison industry is a great topic. Wonder if the comptroller is "in bed" with the industry?
Maybe the members of the Maryland House should learn a skill and save us all some money by building their own furniture. If they can't swing that, there's always orange crates.
Better yet.
I'd like to see a bunch of boxes with allen wrenches delivered.
Putting together their own furniture should keep them out of trouble for awhile.
What's wrong with the furniture that they have now??
Just because they are getting a new office, doesn't mean they need new furniture!
True!
What's wrong with the furniture that they have now??
It is bad Feng Shui?!/s
ping
ahhh, that explains it - don't want any bad feng shui now do we . . . *g*
Interesting teammates :)
I think all Govt buildings should be cinder block, too small to function, cold in the winter, hot in the summer, (IOW's) dank, lit with 25 watt bulbs with no windows. Maybe this would be incentive for all to just GTF home and leave the rest of us alone! JMO. Blackbird.
I think all Govt buildings should be cinder block, too small to function, cold in the winter, hot in the summer, (IOW's) dank, lit with 25 watt bulbs with no windows. Maybe this would be incentive for all to just GTF home and leave the rest of us alone! JMO. Blackbird.
Not such a bad idea :)
Yes!
And as an energy and tax saving measure, they should car pool to work in government vans and the thermostat in their offices should be set at 78 degrees.
I'm amazed to see these two on the same page!
So am I. It's amazing that Schaeffer is calling the Dem controlled legislature on the carpet for fiscal irresponsibility.........maybe he actually understands the purpose of his position?
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