Another courthouse for $60 million

The Austin American-Statesman reports that Travis County officials might want to build a new court administration building for $60 million.

Travis County currently bears $673 million in debt.

The new debt would not require voter approval. From a Libertarian point of view, that doesn't matter too much, since Libertarians don't think that a majority vote turns something bad into something good. However, it does kind of add insult to injury.

Travis County Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt is quoted saying, "We don’t have a choice in providing office space for our district attorney." Well, the district attorney is currently in jail, so she can probably do without an office for a while.

Gerald Daugherty, the only Republican County Commissioner, called the plan "pretty bold," but apparently "offered few specific objections."

Travis County taxpayers should probably get ready to pay some more bond interest.

The plain truth is that if there weren't so many laws, we wouldn't need so many courthouses.