Monday, October 17, 2005
Foolish economic development
Dear Bond Commission members,
I'm writing this letter out of sincere concern for the residents of the State of Louisiana; specifically, Washington Parish. Until Hurricane Katrina, I lived in Louiana and remained active in my local and state government.
The issue with the construction of reservoirs continues to baffle me. Especially in light of the fact that the Bogue Chitto State Park (also in our parish), when completed, will boast 8 lakes and plenty of recreational opportunity.
Louisiana, claims to be suffering financially, yet continue to make foolish decisisons under the guise of economic development.
A reservoir in Washington Parish is not only a waste of tax payer money, but it's way ahead of it's time.
It would appear that vast improvements to the infrastructure should be a top priority versus another recreational water hole.
Washington parish boasts an abundance of water and other natural resources - visit their industrial park website.
Common sense dictates that connecting Washington Parish to the Interstate and a serious look at education prior to spending millions on a reservoir would be the first step towards sound economic development.
As a tourist, I doubt few will be inclined to hook up their ski boats and man their RV's in hopes of looking for Washington Parish.
Thousands have already been wasted on feasibility studies and research.
If money continues to flow towards a reservoir project in Washington Parish, many stand to loose their homes. Cemeteries will be flooded and some of the most historic areas of our parish will be washed away.
The dangers of constructing a 90 foot high dam that stretches one and a half miles long in our parish is paramount. Should a dam of this magnitude fail, it will jeapordize the lives of thousands of residents and infrastructure.
The question you need to ask yourself in the decision making process for funding is, "Can we afford it?" The answer is simply, "No."
I respectfully request that money proposed to further reservoir projects in the State of Louisiana be reallocated to education and disaster relief.
Yours Truly,Lee Kelley
Las Vegas, NV
