Tax Dollars In Action!

The Northern Illinois University building where a gunman killed five students in an auditorium lecture hall before committing suicide, will be demolished and replaced...on the taxpayer's dime!

Cole Hall — a huge classroom building at the center of the 25,000-student campus — will be replaced with a state-of-the-art general classroom building and be named Memorial Hall. Gov. Rod Blagojevich had an afternoon news conference to announce state funding for the project. Students on campus seemed torn about the announcement, but no one seems to be concerned that THE STATE IS GOING TO DEMOLISH A PERFECTLY FUNCTIONAL BUILDING AND REBUILD IT.

"Some people can't stand to look at it, and others see it as a memorial as it is," 19-year-old freshman Cassie Dodd said. "Personally, I think it should stay. It's a part of us now." Junior Jessica Burnside disagreed. "It's a trophy of a tragic, destructive event. Nobody wants to be reminded of it." And they shouldn't be, if the suckers who pay taxes can get fleeced and fund an unnecessary reconstruction.

Demolition of the 40 year old Cole Hall could begin this spring, with construction expected to begin next summer, and the new facility ready for use as early as December 2010. The school has established a memorial scholarship fund in honor of the students who died, which is also a fine way to deal with the event, and not spend millions putting a new face on it. Or facade. Or foyer. Or fiscally irresponsibly funded building.