Grant Grubbing

Grants are available for nearly any activity a government and even some business might consider. Unfortunately there are even more available for things governments might not otherwise consider. Recent examples include the Dunwoody Parkway project, the Civil Rights facility downtown, the Streetcar Project, and our police junket to Israel.

What these have in common is that without the opportunity to pick other people's pockets, these projects could not be justified on their own merits. Clearly we are not operating in an environment where needs are identified and justified and then, and only then, do we discuss funding--either in house, grants or a combination.

That's where Grant Grubbing comes in. It is no more than cart before horse--find a grant, then create the list of "needs". No other justification than "other people's money" needed. Doesn't even have to cover the full cost. Over time, and a very short period of time it is, we simply redefine our "needs" as "anything we can get someone else to pay for in whole or in part".

Problem is, this takes no account of negative consequences.

Perhaps we do need anti-terrorist training for our police. We are confronted every day with terrorism and we're not talking speeding commuters. That Israeli Immersion program dramatically improved our ability to root out the terrorists setting up the shoe bomb factory in the back of DSW and it was just what Dunwoody needed. It was certainly worth removing an officer from normal duties. Wasn't it?

Fact is, grant grubbing is a slippery slope and we have at least one foot on it. The other foot is firmly planted on top--of a banana peel. And when we slide down we have left Integrity Station and are barreling down the rail on the Train to Lovejoy. With a one way ticket.