OPEN COLUMN
Local projects should be funded with local money

Editor, the Tribune: I read with dismay Hank Waters’ endorsement of earmarks and pork spending. To be fair, Hank would prefer bringing this out-of-control spending into the light of day. But the process is corrupt and would continue to be corrupt in the daylight. I advocate elimination of federal spending that benefits only one state, county or city and not the general welfare of the country.

Hank mentions the funding brought from Washington to the University of Missouri by Sen. Kit Bond. I work at MU and realize the benefits of the Bond Life Sciences Center, but that never should have been federally funded. It directly benefits us in Missouri. The people of Georgia and Idaho shouldn’t pay for this. The life sciences project should have been debated and, if approved, funded by Missourians.

Local interests now lobby their representatives in Washington to fund anything under the sun. Those representatives, motivated by votes back home, are willing and able to bring home the money. The corrupt nature of Congress motivates all representatives to go along with each others’ pork spending to get their own.

We should require those local interests to ask local representatives and constituents for funding. The folks back home can better evaluate proposed projects; what do the people of Georgia and Idaho know of a building at MU? The result of local decision- making will be good projects will be funded and wasteful, unnecessary ones - such as researching the mating habits of the Japanese quail, recently funded by Congress - aren’t.

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Chris Prestigiacomo

2314 Cherry Ridge Court

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