Editorial: This is government saving money?

It seems we’ve seen this movie before: Officials decide to close a Lima government facility, costing this community jobs and millions in payroll. But, first, just to show us what responsible stewards of tax dollars the particular agency is, it decides to upgrade the facility that soon will close.

If it’s good enough for state government, surely it’s good enough for the U.S. Postal Service. We’d like to tell you we’re kidding, but it’s true. The Postal Service, which is studying shutting the Lima distribution and processing center, is actually now building a ramp at the Hanthorn Road building.

This would be the same distribution and procession center that Western Ohio District Manager Chu Falling Star wants to close to save $1.3 million by shifting its work to Toledo. So it only makes sense — if you work for the government — to do building improvements first. Don’t get your hopes up about the meaning of the work. TV station WLIO on Friday quoted a postal official as saying the work was scheduled, so with the uncertainty of the Lima center’s future, it went ahead.

We saw that very example of poor planning play out at Lima Correctional Institution before the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction closed it. The state pumped some $12.7 million into upgrades at the medium security facility in the five years before deciding to close LCI to save money. Lima lost 500 jobs and as much as $100 million in economic activity as a result of those jobs, but the empty building sure has some nice new windows.

Regardless of whether you agree with the prison system’s or the Postal Service’s decision to close the Lima facilities, you understand the need to save money. But, someone at these inefficient bureaucracies should figure out what a slap in the face it is to see go into improving a facility for the sake of sitting empty.

It suggests the people trying to save money have no idea what they’re doing.