With the increase in the price of oil, Alaska has an increase in oil revenues.
Those revenues were $2.4 billion in 2004, before oil climbed into the stratosphere. They are projected by Alaska State to be $3.1 billion for 2005, or an additional $700 million.
Alaska can afford to build its own &^%^%$ bridge and still have $250 million of its extra 2005 oil revenue left over.
But, no Mr. Stevens thinks a father and a mother working two jobs in Atlanta to feed their three kids ought to continue to have higher-than-otherwise needed federal taxes, so that he can give that revenue as a $450 million gift to his 630,000 constituents.
And GOPers don't like it when Dims call 'em greedy. Hmmmm
No the question the Alaska politicians don't want to deal with back home is:
If only Alaska taxpayers were paying for the bridge, would the 616,000 Alaskans want to pay the $450 million for a bridge that is not needed for 14,000 islanders who are doing fine with their 7 minute ferry?
Ah, now we see why the pols raid the federal treasury. The state pols get to avoid asking for the appropritation from local taxes and the federal pols get to pretend they are Santa Claus bringing the magic money from the endless pot of gold in Washington, D.C.
Stevens should simply resign any way.