Follow the road money

Regarding “State road projects cost double estimates”: Enough (Jan. 27).

When does cost overrun become corruption? When does failure to account for inflation become ineptitude, incompetence and malfeasance?

When do any of the accounting standards commonly applied by private individuals or private industry ever apply to government? When does the state of Wisconsin stop being the fatted calf or pork belly for the starving heavy industry of this state to dine upon?

When do the billions of dollars spent on inflated road projects become available for education, health services, public transportation, environmental protection or public safety?

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation apparently took 18 years to catch on to the fact and publicly admit, but only after a belated audit, all their major construction projects since 2006 have cost double original estimates and the new double standard continues into the future while neither the governor or the Legislature seem to mind. How much is enough? The answer to all these questions is found in the simple adage: Follow the money. Don’t follow the estimates, boys. They’re written for fools. Follow the money and find out what the simple adage “Open For Business” really means in the state of Wisconsin.

John Fons Madison