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You would think a state agency constantly poor-mouthing would be scratching and clawing for every dime of revenue it can get its hands on. Not the state Department of Transportation, which continues to defy logic with some of its financial decisions.

Add this story by Greenville News reporter Tim Smith to a growing list of incidents that raise questions about how DOT does business: The state agency has awarded a contract to a firm to manage the state's highway sign logos that was $1 million less over the life of the contract than its nearest competitor.

South Carolina Logos has held the contract for the exit signs that feature the logos of restaurants, hotels and gas stations. When the contract expired, DOT put out a request for proposals. Of the four bids, Atlanta-based Corey Media offered the state the most money. DOT decided to go with South Carolina Logos.

Corey appealed unsuccessfully, but in the appeal the Atlanta firm pointed out -- without charging any impropriety -- that DOT commissioner John Hardee is governmental affairs director for Lamar Advertising, the parent company of S.C. Logos.

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Such stories surface too often when it comes to DOT. This agency is largely unaccountable, and its operations often reflect that. Hardee also is one of the commissioners serving longer than it appears state law allows.

Gov. Mark Sanford has been pushing -- without a hint of success -- for restructuring that would make the DOT more accountable to the state's top executive. Now the governor appoints only the commission chairman, but the other six members are appointed by the Legislature. That makes DOT largely unaccountable, except for individually pleasing powerful legislators.

DOT officials make the claim, which has some merit, that the agency needs another $1 billion over the next decade to take care of the state's highway system. The logo contract deal "highlights the absurdity" of that request, as the governor's spokesman said.