http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70K5HF20110121
“It’s the end of a nightmare,” said grateful Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno.
Damn right it is!
I can think of better things to build for $34m than a place of slavery and sacrifice.
Subjective value.
It’s funny the article doesn’t mention Italy has Scandinavian-level taxes but cannot find the money for her “art treasures”.
I have a friend (university graduate) who worked for the cultural and artistic heritage government entity (called Beni Culturali). Pay was very low, hours were long so she decided to get a second university degree to find work in the private sector. Yet the sector is anything but underfunded: shortchanging employees working on a succession of temporary contracts doesn’t mean full time employees are badly paid and overworked or there isn’t money for every single pet project that’s pushed forward by the politically-connected.
Untold billions were lavished on Rome’s monuments for the 2000 Catholic Jubilee: I cannot quote a figure because there isn’t. Yet ten years later everything’s as run down as it was before 2000. The city’s may have a certain kind of magic for tourists but it’s as dirty and run down as ever. Yet money isn’t lacking: the City of Rome even introduced a new “tourist tax” which is to be added on top the cost of your hotel room to cover upkeep of the various monuments. Which, obviously, just isn’t enough.
That’s what it used to be… now it’s a monument to Italian style and comfort. 