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Forks of the Road Heritage Trail. This project would greatly enhance one of the primary gateways to our city by creating an African American/Ethnic Heritage Trail along a stretch of St. Catherine Street between the Forks of the Road Slave Market Site
$600,000,000.00 - 65 jobs - CDBG Program
2% voted critical - 98% voted not critical - 5849 votes cast
Yes
No
Wiki Description
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General Description
Please help improve this project page by replacing this text with a description and other factual information about the project. Don't know much about the project? Call your local government and ask for details.
A city official from Natchez, MS, contacted Stimulus Watch to let us know that the total cost for this project was apparently misreported in the U.S. Conference of Mayors' MainStreet Economic Recovery Report, which is the source document for this website. We hope city officials will provide information on this wiki with correct details.
An article in the Natchez Democrat further explains that the $600 million figure in the U.S. Conference of Mayors report is incorrect. The correct amount, according to an official quoted in the article, is $1 million. See Natchez Democrat article.
Points in Favor
It stimulates the economy because it puts people who are unemployed to work. So instead of being on the dole, these people get paid to do this job. They can then spend the money they get paid on the economy i.e. they can go shopping and buy things which they couldn't on the dole.
Plus, this particular thing is good for the country's heritage, and will stimulate tourism in the area which is even better for the economy.
Points Against
I have tried to research this project to get additional information. I did see that the original request was $600,000 NOT $600,000,000. The price then went up to 1 million. This area is a very depressed area. Natchez has the 2nd largest slave market located at this site as well as other things. The people have raised $75,000 of their money to try to create this - again to bring tourism dollars to a depressed area. I understand this intent but I still think that $600,000 could be used in better ways.
I fail to see how this stretch of road will help to stimulate the economy. I can see how new road construction would be beneficial to reduce traffic delays in areas, but really, designating a certain stretch of road to a former slave market will stimulate the economy? Come On - WAKE UP!
Few jobs will be created for so much money.
This is not an essential project. It would be a waste of taxpayer money.
This is a lot of money for only 65 jobs...who is running the show here...they should be fired making these kind of requests! test
This appears to be a good hearted project that is inappropriate for the times. The price makes no sense, sounds like the same construction group that gouged Mass residents for the big dig. This has got to be another example of greedy people stealing the lifeboats as the ship is sinking. This project has no business on the docket since it cannot create enough economic activity to stimulate the economy to justify the ridiculous price tag.