Lightner Center still costing Raleigh. Crowder ticked.

The News & Observer is reporting that the clearly-to-be-delayed-for-eternity Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center in Raleigh will end up costing taxpayers a bunch of cash anyway for design efforts and architectural contracts already in place. We hope the tax crusaders on City Council who used this project as a foundation in which to stake their anti-growth banner will once again continue their efforts and find a way to reconcile these outstanding fees.

Apparently a contract issue is at the heart of what’s owed. Specifically, the problem pertains to work moving forward without signatures. Thus, the city is “not legally” bound to make good. Although it probably will. And should. City Manager Russell Allen said this is common with large-scale municipal projects. City Council member Thomas Crowder, never short on words when plans for a tax-payer supported building project aren’t emblazoned with the name of his firm, promised to make an issue of it. And then, he’s going to talk a lot about people parking on grass in front of rental homes.

Sarcasm aside, why the City couldn’t get behind what looked to be a very promising addition to our downtown’s landscape remains to us, a mystery. It couldn’t simply be just about money. Because, hey, didn’t that convention center and whole Fayetteville Street thing turn out all right for the city? And they were certainly not cheap.

You pay taxes, what do you think?