Let me put it this way: I'd much rather see the government pay for eradication of these non-native plants than to see that same money dumped in some welfare sinkhole.
It IS a huge government jobs program at the very time that government is the ONLY growth industry in the huge region!!!
Didn't you see the part about over 60% of the state's water coming from the region. When government controls the water, IT CONTROLS THE LAND! (watershed)(wells, etc.)(all relevant aspects of private property and it's resources)
They're USING supposed crises to stampede said universal government control with it's costly "Welfare for wildlife and affirmative action for fish and plants!" It has long been their dream to convert displaced resource industry employees into government environmental enforcement employees.
They're USING the Governor's popularity to further all of the above in the middle of a state fiscal crisis and it's just plain senseless when you stop and really think about it. Now, I've stopped using my usual inflamatory verbage in hopes you will DO exactly THAT and join us in stopping this "welfare" expansion! (because now the threat is immenent)