Millions funneled in, but still not finished.

A memorial to remember those murdered during the September 11, 2001, attacks has been used as a huge money maker for those working for the Foundation behind its construction.

The non-profit National September 11 Memorial & Museum, spent £11.8 million through 2009 and 2010 in salaries and benefits [1]. Joan Gerner, former executive vice president of design and construction received a whopping $440,000 salary in 2010, which included a sweet $296,000 severance package for her departure from the project. If she wasn’t committed why did she even bother signing up?

In the same year seven other executives made more than $200,000 for they’re input.

Did the first responders, firefighters or police, who were there from day one trying to save people, receive salaries of this magnitude? NO! In fact their plight for compensation and health care, after they were told the air was safe to breath, is one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in American history. That apart from the CIA and Government’s own hand in the attacks themselves.

Jimmy Riches, whose son was a firefighter and died in the North Tower had the following to say about the money flowing through the foundation:
“What they’re doing is making money off 9/11. People donate money to 9/11, and they’re lining their pockets with it. This is totally wrong, and I think it’s disrespectful to people who died.” [2]

However Joe Daniels, President of the Foundation gave a typical stuffy suited response to the media. He stated:
“The employee compensation we offer is both competitive and comparable to other similarly situated non-profits.”

This is a memorial for 9/11!

Are there any other projects that can be described as similar to building a memorial for the nation’s largest terrorist attack?

There was a time when Americans (gasp) may have done the whole project for free out of respect to the citizens of the country. But today the suits sit on bloated salaries and bonuses like wannabe bankers. More worrying is that the Foundation is trying to influence the Government. The non-profit’s 2010 tax filing shows it spent $27,000 on lobbying and direct outreach to legislators [3]. What business does a memorial foundation have with influencing the law?

What makes the project even more shameful is that the money used to fund it essentially comes from the taxpayer. Some comes from Congress’s blind approval, Government grants top that up, and fundraising makes up the rest. If you don’t know what fundraising is, it’s essentially well-meaning citizens giving up their hard earned money for what they think is a good cause, and corporations looking for tax breaks.

As of now the foundation is seeking a $20 million annual appropriation from Congress, which would make up a third of its funding.

The other main issue with the project is that it’s not yet complete. In true corporate America fashion, red tape and squabbles have continually pushed back the opening of the museum, which citizens had hoped would be ready for the 10 year anniversary like the memorial itself.

USA Today notes:
The Port Authority, which owned the trade center and is building the museum, claims that the foundation owes it $300 million. The foundation claims that the authority actually owes it $140 million, because of delays in the project.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg stated:
“There is no chance of it being open on time. Work has basically stopped.”

It’s believed it won’t be finished until at least 2013. Perhaps by then citizens will realize that the financial interests and corrupt Government do not care about 3,000 + dead people, they care about money and war!

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