Last week, Elon Musk and DOGE cancelled the $500,000 “Congressional Discretionary Grant” to “Lucy”, the Margate Elephant. Democratic Senator Cory Booker announced it last August during his “annual summer road trip” across New Jersey. Booker presented a large replica of a $500,000 check to Margate Mayor Michael Collins and Richard Helfant, the Executive Director of the Save Lucy Committee.
That money was to pay for a new heating and air conditioning system, a “state-of-the-art” fire suppression system, and new wooden floors and stairs.
Three years ago, other government agencies spent $2.4 million to replace rotted timbers and install “brand-new metal skin” . Federal and New Jersey state taxes paid for that project through the “New Jersey Historic Trust” and the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Spending nearly $3 million of federal and state funds on the Margate Elephant is proof that our federal and state governments are broken, wasteful and corrupt. We thank Elon Musk and DOGE for finding and clawing back $500,000 of it.
In 1976, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated the Margate Elephant as a “National Historic Landmark”. However, there is nothing national or historic about it.
The elephant shaped building made of wood and tin was built in Margate in 1881. It was first used to sell vacant lots in Margate. At that time, Ventnor, Margate, and the Chelsea section of Atlantic City were mostly empty fields and sand dunes. Visitors on the Atlantic City Boardwalk could clearly see the six-story elephant from five miles away. Many were curious as to what it was and they took a trolley or carriage to get there for a closer look. When they got there, they saw it was a real estate office. They were invited to walk up to the observation deck and look at a selection of building lots in Margate that were for sale.
In 1887, the building was sold to a Philadelphia businessman. His family owned it until 1970. They used it as a restaurant, cottage, tavern and business office. In 1970, the elephant was falling apart. The family decided to sell it. A group of Margate residents raised money to take ownership of the building and move it to its present location on a city owned lot. They also restored it.
For the past several years the building has been managed by a non-profit corporation called the “Save Lucy Committee, Inc.” Its most recent Form 990 Tax Returns show that it pays between $321,000 and $388,000 in salaries each year. Of that, $131,000 is paid to its Executive Director and $70,000 is paid to its Education Director.
Outside of grants for repairs, the Save Lucy Committee seems to have receipts of roughly $650,000 per year. Does most of that money come from summer visitors? Or does it come from public schools that take their students out of class and pay for tours of the “National Historic Landmark”?
The Margate Elephant is an interesting local landmark on a local public park. It has an interesting local history. Margate residents have good reason to maintain their local attraction with their taxes and donations.
However, it has absolutely no national historical significance. It should not be a “National Historic Landmark”. It should not receive federal funds.
It appears that the $500,000 grant announced by Senator Booker last August was a “Congressional Discretionary Grant”. This appears to be a program that lets selected members of the U.S. Senate and Congress “earmark” federal funds to whatever projects they “request”.
Last August, Senator Booker said “I am proud of my role in preserving this iconic and nationally recognized historic landmark. . . This funding will ensure Lucy continues to stand tall, attracting tourists and supporting the local economy. . .”
Richard Helfant is the Executive Director of the Save Lucy Committee. He said “We are so grateful to the Senator and his staff”.
Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution should not permit this. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution gives list of national purposes Congress can spend money on. Maintaining a local park and “attracting tourists” for a “local economy” are not on that list.
Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution also states that “Legislative” powers are vested in Congress of 100 Senators and 435 members of the House of Representatives. Article II Section 1 states that “Executive” power is vested in the President. Even if the Constitution allowed national money to be spent on a local park, the decision to spend $500,000 on the Margate Elephant should have been made and voted on by the entire Congress or by the President or his Secretary of the Interior. It should not have been made in the “discretion” of a single Senator.
Elon Musk and his Department Of Government Efficiency were absolutely correct ito cancel this $500K grant.
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