Will our nation ever learn how to properly utilize its $105 million buildings?

  • ITEM: Riverside, California's brand new Hillcrest High School—price tag: $105 million—features top-of-the-line facilities like a robotics lab and "digital smart boards" in every classroom. The only problem: "Sapped by state budget cuts, the Alvord Unified School District doesn't have the money to turn on the lights or hire staff."
  • ITEM: Grayson County, Virginia just completed construction of a new state prison—price tag: $105 million—designed to house the state's projected growing inmate population. The only problem: "The economy collapsed [causing the prison's funding to be slashed]. And the number of prisoners didn't grow as expected."

Stick to $104 million buildings, America. You ain't ready for the big leagues.

[Photo: Shutterstock]