Over time, those differences are compounded. So while some wards fall further and further behind in sidewalk repairs, others have spent dollars on "off-menu" projects such as artificial turf, basketball courts, murals, bike racks, fencing, community gardens and decorative garbage cans. CDOT and the OIG disagree on whether those are appropriate uses of menu money. But it doesn't make sense to spend money on fancy trash cans in some neighborhoods when there are streets in desperate need of repair in others. That's why those decisions should be made with the big picture in mind.