Dunno which one Thom George is, but this is his gang with the feather directly across from his real estate office.

KaleJ: I can't believe I forgot this one, but it is a major sore spot. Those hideous feathers on NW Boulevard. On hearsay, I understand them to cost $125 grand each. That seems outrageous, but hey, they are outrageous.

DFO: They cost about $50,000 total -- and I like them. Beauty, indeed, is in the eye of the beholder.

Dang: And public art, Dave, is from the pocket of the taxpayer.

Sue: I think the feathers are beautiful. I'm sure there are others who know the specifics, but I'm sure they were financed in the same way other big federal projects are financed, and that is with a fraction of a percentage set aside for art specifically. The idea is that a civilized society can encourage art in public spaces, so that everyone benefits. Public art is one sign of an advanced society, and if you don't love it, don't look at it, just appreciate the fact that others do.

DFO: Indeed, a small percentage for public construction projects, like the new police station, is set aside to pay for public art, which Sue correctly points out is an enhancement to any community. Sometimes, people get so caught up in griping about every tax dollar that goes for something other than streets, cops and firemen that they forget to step back and see the beauty of such things as the feathers.

---

---