Tamarack

[SP Cook]

Scamarack?  Please elaborate.  Do they charge excessive prices there? 

Yes.  But that is not why its a scam.  When the paid-off Turnpike's tolls were extended the state made a requirement that some of the money be used for "economic development".  They came up with Tamarack, named for a northern tree/bush that does not grow in WV.   Its an arts and craft retail outlet, but unlike most, which operate on consignment, it buys the stuff and tries to resell it at a profit.  Something it is truly bad at.

The Legislative Auditor audited the place back a few years ago.  It was, and still is, losing more than $1M/month.  At the time it had two mega-warehouses filled with unsellable merchandise.  And there was at least the implication that the "artists" were chosen due to their political connections, rather than their artistic ability.  It continued, and continues, to buy material without regard to it salability.

In other words, the state could burn the place down, and yield $12M to the good in just one year.

[cpzilliacus]

Scamarack?  Please elaborate.  Do they charge excessive prices there? 

Yes.  But that is not why its a scam.  When the paid-off Turnpike's tolls were extended the state made a requirement that some of the money be used for "economic development".  They came up with Tamarack, named for a northern tree/bush that does not grow in WV.   Its an arts and craft retail outlet, but unlike most, which operate on consignment, it buys the stuff and tries to resell it at a profit.  Something it is truly bad at.

"Economic development" is often  a code phrase for huge waste of public dollars.

There's a Tamarack Road not too far from where I grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland.  I don't know if there are any tamaracks growing in the state or not.

The Legislative Auditor audited the place back a few years ago.  It was, and still is, losing more than $1M/month.  At the time it had two mega-warehouses filled with unsellable merchandise.  And there was at least the implication that the "artists" were chosen due to their political connections, rather than their artistic ability.  It continued, and continues, to buy material without regard to it salability.

A million dollars a month?  In the federal budget, that is not a lot of money.  In most state budgets, that means something.

In other words, the state could burn the place down, and yield $12M to the good in just one year.

I infer it most state elected officials are not interested in that?

[NE2]

"Economic development" is often  a code phrase for huge waste of public dollars.

holy crap Corridor H

[seicer]

Ahem, SP. You were almost right, but off by $11 million.

"Since its inception, Tamarack has lost money and needed an annual infusion of nearly $1 million from concessions on the Turnpike to stay afloat."

http://www.register-herald.com/todaysfrontpage/x1989604647/-Unsolicited-offers-advanced-for-land-near-Tamarack/print

Of course, known to SP, I posted quite a lengthy history of the Turnpike that was a cumulation of a day's worth of digging through the archives. Most of that was eventually transferred to Wikipedia since I did away with all of my transportation web sites. But the key part of that was this:

"On June 1, 1989, The West Virginia Legislature created The West Virginia Parkways, Economic Development and Tourism Authority to replace the Turnpike Commission."

The Turnpike Commission, which oversaw just the Turnpike, including its construction and upgrade from 1976 to 1987, became a turnpike, economic and tourism commission. Money from the tolls was used to support economic development and tourism projects throughout the state - including the Tamarack. As a result, the Turnpike's physical condition deteriorated until the tolls were raised to $1.25 per mainline booth. And that was the longest stretch any tolled pike went without a raise, too.

"Marshall University's Center for Business and Economic Research which showed that Tamarack contributed $18.6 million to the state's economy during the 2008 fiscal year."

You forgot about that too, SP. Perhaps your energy should be put into blaming the Legislature than blaming the "Scamarack." I agree that the Turnpike should not be jumbled in with economic development and tourism, but you are lobbing your energy at the wrong prong.

--

Now, back on topic, I have visited the Western Kentucky Parkway's lone service area a few times. It has an Arby's, gasoline station and a convenience store, but I've never encountered more than a handful of people inside.

[SP Cook]

With all respect, when you are a little older, you will know the difference, hopefully, between quoting what politicians say, and research.  I do not dispute that you found all of that material.  None of it is accurate.  Its like you saying "Nixon said he was not a crook, therefore he wasn't."

Understand, that the Legislative Auditor (the only really independent oversight of state government in WV) only figured the base loss of Scamarack.  That assumed no overhead costs (for one example, and just one, Scamarack doesn't pay rent).  The total loss, if you figure in a fair cost, is $1M/month.   The $1M./year is just the cash they need to meet payroll and buy more crap, after being given free rent, utilities, ads, etc, etc, etc.  All at tollpayer expense. 

Also understand, that the state, like every state, already has both a tourism office and an economic development office.  Changing the name of the Turnpike commission didn't make it such a thing any more than changing its name to the Turnpike and Free Ice Cream Commission would get you some ice cream.  Its just political nothingness.   

In fact, the other part of the Legislative Auditor's report, if you want to go there, found that the "economic development" was buying unlisted penny stocks in companies that mostly went broke (i.e. make work) and buying a building in downtown Charleston which they rented below retail to an insurance company.  Its "tourism" effort involved things like (completely without legal authority) buying band uniforms for HSs two counties away. 

And as to the well worn idea that money rolls over 1000 times and therefore some football billionaire being given a stadium help the city, or in this case, a $1M/month loss is really making southern WV boom, have you been to southern WV lately?  Its a discredited theory.

But you can find where a politician said it. 

Or you can think critically.

[Alps]

Split from the Least Used Service Areas thread. Now keep it civil - I have an eye on this.

[NE2]

Was this thread split off and kept unlocked for honeypot development purposes?

[Alps]

Was this thread split off and kept unlocked for honeypot development purposes?

Well, it seems to have worked for that already

[NJRoadfan]

Looks like Larix laricina does grow in WV.

http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/larlar/all.html
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=West%20Virginia&statefips=54&symbol=LALA

I was actually surprised that it grows in NJ.

[PColumbus73]

I have rarely stopped at Tamarack, my pit-stop is Wytheville, VA when going from SC to Ohio. Tamarack is just a glorified truck stop. Just stop, get gas, eat, pee and get back on the Turnpike.