America’s Swankiest Bus Stop
In 2013 Arlington County, Virginia, received federal funding to build a luxury “SuperStop” bus stop complete with Wi-Fi, heated benches and sidewalks, and “a wall made of etched glass that opens the rear vista to newly planted landscaping.” Too bad the slanted glass roof doesn’t do much to keep out rain and snow, or provide shade in the summertime.
Cost to taxpayers: $1 million
Anti-Social Media
State Department officials wanted to increase traffic on the agency’s various Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, so they spent lavishly on in-site advertising. What did they get in return? Not much. Less than 2 percent of visitors to their pages”liked” or “favorited” any of their posts or tweets. Here are some other bizarre things the U.S. government spent money on.
Cost to taxpayers: $630,000
