Sticker Shock for County Road Projects

Never seen it done this way before.

It's a Florida outfit.

Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson says new Wisconsin rules will cost counties big. (Appleton Post-Crescent, 10/27/2011)

According to Nelson, a reciprocal agreeement with a neighboring county would allow a paint-striping project on a stretch of County Highway P to be done at a cost between $500-700.  When the county submitted bids for the project, only one was received -- for $3,935.

Another car wreck thanks to the ascendance of rigid ideology.

Supporters of the measure [including, incredibly, the Wisconsin Counties Association] say the plan stops counties from unfairly competing with private businesses, and limits the size of county roads departments they consider bloated. Critics say the old practice created healthy cooperation, kept costs down and saved taxpayers money by driving down private bids.