Artificial Turf: Found money!

How lucky are we! MCPS has found money for an artificial turf field made up of hundreds of tons of used tires that would otherwise end up in a toxic landfill!

What clever financial wizards we have in our county employ.

According to this memo of May 26, 2009 we have enough money to spend $1.2MILLION on ground up rubber tires for our children to play on. Of course, the tires are made of lead, arsenic, carcinogens, heavy metals, and will create a heat island that can be seen from space, but who cares!

Our progressive County Council thinks this is great. Given that Annapolis denied our 'waiver' request based on our sad financial situation, apparently not everyone is fooled, though.

Here is how YOU are going to pay for 57,000 square feet of ground up rubber tires that otherwise would end up in a pile like this:

First, you are going to do a 'lease-purchase' deal for $459,019. Then, you are going to repay the 'lease-purchase' over five years at $43,163 each year, and then a so-fun "balloon" payment of $335,000.

I am not a financial wizard like our county employees. I have read about "balloon payments" alot recently, though. I have heard they may be responsible in part for the global economic collapse, but hey, what do I know.

Ok, so let's continue.. wait, $43,163 x 5 comes up to $215,815. Plus the $335,000 equals $550,815. Again, hang on, somehow $459,019 is now $550,815. How did that happen? Now we are paying an extra $91,796.

As I say, I am no financial, or even math, wiz, so please read the memo yourself and if I am wrong comment here to correct. No worries.

Ha ha fooled you again! Of COURSE we have money for teachers and textbooks. We just don't want to spend them on YOUR children. The Board of Education has better places to spend our money, I mean THEIR money.




I calculate 269,800 pounds of the stuff for one football field measuring 57,000 square feet!! How lucky is that. This company sells it for 17 cents per pound, but you get it for only $1.2MILLION (that comes out to $4.45 per pound, so maybe financial wizards, not so much. oh well).

Got a turf tip for us? Send it to artificialturftips@yahoo.com