 |
||||||||||||
| * | * | * | ||||||||||
* |
Congressional inquiries will cost you tax dollars
If things had gone as planned, before the end of the FY (September 30), the Army would have given the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) a permit to manage the entire Longhorn site for the next 25 years; the Army would no longer be responsible for the site; FWS could have opened the Caddo Lake Wildlife Refuge to the public; and Harrison County residents could have accelerated the growth of the eco-tourism industry. That all changes when Senator Hutchinson wrote Joseph Whitaker, Deputy Assistant Secretary to the Army for Installations and Housing, on July 21, 2005. In the letter, Hutchinson suggested the Army transfer at least 1,000 acres of the 2,200 Longhorn acres that have not been transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Harrison County for conversion into an economic redevelopment zone. Now the Army will not be able to turn the site over to FWS and the Army will be forced to guard the locked gates. You say Who Cares?. The answer is anyone that pays taxes. Senator Hutchinsons action will force the Army to spend more of your tax dollars. These are dollars that it did not plan on spending. Since Senator Hutchinson is suggesting a different use for the land, many of the studies and much of the paperwork that was developed over the past several years will have to be re-done. For example, the Environmental Impact Study will need to be completely redone and as I recall there another half a dozen or so reports that will need to be reworked. True, this will only cost a few million dollars and add another year to two to the decision making process -- but when this country is drowning in red ink, is this a wise expenditure? To my knowledge, no engineer or site selection expert has said that this site would be a good industrial site. Only bottom-feeder industries will ever consider locating at Longhorn. Do you want to have your tax dollars spent generating the studies and paperwork required to change the use of the site to industrial use when there is little hope of attracting any industry that can provide good jobs. You decide if this is the way you want your tax dollars spent? Then write Senator Hutchinson and Congressman Gohmert and tell them what you think.
SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
284 Russell Senate Office Building
|
***
|
||||||||||
home
·
calendar
·
contact us
copyright © 2004 MarshallTexasOnline.net -- designed and maintained by: MUNDEN expressions |
||||||||||||
