Monday, February 25, 2008

Bill Passes about Airport TRAX Funding...

The Deseret News has a copy of the article today talking about how our state Senate is trying to rein in on the city of Salt Lake and tell them how to spend their money.

Isn't it interesting that Bramble the Senator from Provo who got this bill passed did not ban the airport from spending money on highways and parking which is were many of the dollars go to.

Now here is the most telling part of the article:

Lawmakers are trying to keep Delta Air Lines happy, in an effort to keep the company's hub in Salt Lake City. Delta Air Lines officials don't want the airport improvement fund raided for light rail, and "I'm not aware of any other industry that is being asked to put a disproportionate share into light rail" said Rob Jolley, a lobbyist for the airline.

"The banking industry hasn't been asked to do that, the real estate industry hasn't been asked to do that," Jolley said.

Then, he sent a clear warning to lawmakers to keep Delta happy, or else.

Isn't there something wrong that the Delta Airline's lobbyist is basically making threats to the state?

So not only do we have the state dictating to Salt Lake on how to spend its money, but you also have a lobbyist for a major corporation telling the state to force a city to do something or else.

If Bamble had any guts, and not just a puppet for this lobbyist he would be making sure that policy is set for what is best for the community, not the threats of a lobbyist.

2 comments:

Clint Gardner said...

Delta has also been the beneficiary of several tax concessions by Salt Lake City and also the state of Utah already.

John Dornoff said...

I have to admit that Delta is my favorite airline to fly but that does not give them the right to tell the state what to do. It just proves the point that big corporations control our country.