[Winona Online Democracy]
Mr. Finn said in part:
Senator Coleman and Representative Gutknecht have
announced that recently passed highway legislation
includes millions of dollars to help fund a Huff Street
tunnel under the railroad tracks along with a couple
of pedestrian underpasses. I assume the legislators
feel proud to have provided Winona with a place at the trough.
I do not pretend to know the whole picture; it is complex. Please consider
these thoughts.
First: we do not know the path of that money - could it be that the local
project is more feasible now thanks to a larger federal allocation for roads
and infrastructure? In other words, are our federal tax dollars indirectly
coming home to help us? If they are, then why complain?
Second: the money is going to be spent anyway. If one opposes this project,
then please suggest where it would be better allocated for the same kind of
project so that we can be better informed.
Third: it's the railroad thing, Dummy! On the one-hand I am sure few people
want to deny the East Coast population of the coal and goods being carried
through Winona, and on the other-hand the convenience for the East is made
at the expense of Winonans - the inconvenience from waiting for trains, all
that dust, and possibly grave consequences concerning emergency vehicle
right-of-way, and a profound degradation of our environment. We deserve
compensation to help minimize this unfortunate situation.
Lamenting the train tragedy will not reroute the trains, but the government
that encouraged the tragedy can reroute some of the money it collected as
taxes. Our only recourse is to seek and accept compensation to help
minimize it. TAKE THE MONEY!
Oh, forever track the money the railroad is contributing... carefully... see
how much is really out of their pocket or instead being routed through
federal advantages .. in other words, our money. I don't even think it is
possible to do that, but...
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