How to spend $50 million

I have a fantasy that will never be fulfilled. But I'll share it anyway.

If Gov. Joe Manchin could find $50 million this year for research efforts at Marshall University and West Virginia University, could he look in next year's budget and find $25 million for Huntington and $25 million for Charleston to help them with some of their worst problems.

Specifically, could Huntington use $25 million to buy and demolish large areas of vacant and dilapidated buildings and replace them with housing people will actually buy?

Sort of an urban renewal for the 21st century.

You can come up with all sorts of reasons why this is not the greatest idea in the world, but Huntington needs something to attract people to this side of the Ohio River. Who do you think has been buying all those new McMansions in Rome Township?

The real reason this will never fly is because it would help a city, and the Legislature is in no mood to help a city.