JG Editorial Is Embarrassing - At Least It Should Be
Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 5/14/08 @ 10:33 pm - Filed Under 2008 Local Elections, Local Politics
I know it’s trendy to criticize the JG editorial staff but believe it or not there are many times I agree with them. I don’t necessarily keep tabs but it’s probably 50-50 or something like that. However, today’s editorial in support of the wasteful $55 million Maplecrest Extension project is just plain sad. If the JG were to support the project because they really believe it’s a good opportunity for the community then that would be one thing, but the editorial uses the completely bogus consultant study as their justification:
ALLEN COUNTY Council members skeptical about spending $54 million to build the long-anticipated Maplecrest Road extension need to pay close attention to a consultant’s report they will hear Thursday.
The admittedly expensive road project will pay for itself many times over in new jobs and investments the road will help spur, the consultant found.
I don’t know a polite way to say this and frankly I’m beyond niceties at this point so I’ll just say it. If you believe the numbers in this report and use it as your cornerstone rational for supporting the project then you are a fool. And for an editorial board to accept this type of blatantly exaggerated data shows a lack of common sense and journalistic responsibility.
It is not their job to simply regurgitate what a study tells them. They should cast a skeptical eye and try to get answers on how and why the study’s assumptions are valid. What I read today significantly drained the JG’s credibility. It’s important to separate the reporting (which hasn’t been great on this) from the editorial board and I don’t believe the editorial board is looking out for the public interest in this case…
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“They” don’t have the capacity to do that kind of work.