by Archie L Thomas & Merry Schrumpf, Corvallis
The Ricketts Road one million dollar repair check is a late federal Easter ham (political pork). Much needed and delayed repairs of local roads should be completed using our federal tax dollars. Let’s be honest. Ryan Zinke, using his power as the lowest rated member on the House Appropriations Committee, agreed to sign a bill keeping the government open conditioned on inclusion of community projects funding. (committeehttps://www.appropriations.senate.gov/fy-2024-congressionally-directed-spending)
Zinke’s press release made no mention of his 2021 failure to vote for the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. By comparison not signing either bill defines a three years later 2024 road repair for what it is: “an election year eating of the pork with local politicians!” Where is Zinke’s cry “budget deficits are a national security threat”?
I suggest voters sack him and the horse he rode in on as past disgraced Secretary of Interior. A simple way to place the credit correctly and acknowledge his earlier equine droppings is for voters to vote for Monica Tranel in November’s election.