Today’s Taxpayer News!
Astro-ads: The state of Tennessee allowed Volkswagen to use $266,000 of taxpayer money to paint a giant advertisement on the roof of their Chattanooga plant. A VW spokesman defended the ad saying, “The sign ‘makes it clear that VW is at home in America.’” The Tennessee Watchdog has more details.
Robo-dog: This November, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is prepared to hand over a giant robotic dog to Marines for field tests. Nicknamed the “Big Dog”, its stated purpose is to carry heavy gear in war zones. The total cost and the feasibility of the prototype are both unknown. Read more at DefenseTech.
Money Stix: The city of Nashville has approved a project that would construct a number of tall, colorful sticks in front of their Music City Center. Tentatively named “Stix”, the art is said to be “inspired by Native American themes and colors” and will cost taxpayers $750,000. Read more at The Tennessean.