Letters to the Editor

JUST SAY NO TO PORK

To all Louisiana legislators, please consider rescinding all, or part, of the $45 million approved for foolish pork barrel projects at the Bond Commission meeting on Oct. 20, 2005. Due to budget problems, Louisiana will be unable for many years to fund additional money to continue these foolish projects, and money spent will be wasted.

Should budget cuts for education, children and the old and poor help pay for wasteful projects like reservoirs, goat shows and lawnmower races? In Louisiana, a state drowning in water and political corruption, money continues to flow like water to build reservoirs. While citizens statewide are fighting building 14 new reservoirs, Hurricane Katrina breached a levee, and a reservoir flooded and destroyed New Orleans.

The Oct. 20 Bond Commission meeting lists $3.2 million for reservoirs while money was rescinded for many worthwhile projects. Will reservoirs continue to be one of our top priorities and a foolish waste of our tax money? With the budget problems Louisiana faces, this money is badly needed elsewhere.

Should the old and poor suffer and taxpayers spend $40 to $50 million for a lake to make developers wealthy? Will Louisiana change its foolish ways and its politics as usual? The DOTD tax money intended for infrastructure is wasted on unproductive pork barrel reservoirs. With Louisiana's budget problems, it is foolish to fund projects requiring continued funding year after year that we can't afford.

The proposed Washington Parish reservoir will desecrate cemeteries and take the homes of the old and poor. It is not too late to stop the waste of money on this foolish project before construction begins. Please, stop the waste of money for unneeded foolish pork barrel projects.