Billions for DEFENSE, but no help on the HOME FRONT!

[cstallin]

Just got back from 3 weeks out of town to learn that money has run out for dredging OI. Guess 5 or 10 million is too much to spend to keep one of the major inlets in NC open to commercial and recreational traffic. As I passed Langley AFB and NASA I noticed some impressive security fences being installed. Guess the Government does not have to worry about the terrorists attacking the Coast Guard Base in OI (I sure hope they stay in business because I've needed them on previous occasions). Craige (Mary E)

[TerpHeels]

Craige, I do find it astonishing that there's no money for keeping OI open. I fish out of the Lockwood Folly inlet below Southport NC during the summer and I its been dredged 2 yrs going now and they just put new markers in I hear. No one uses that inlet, maybe a couple commerical shrimpers but they could just as easy run the few miles north up the ICW and run out the Cape Fear. Now the rumor is that the gov has a place down there somewhere! Makes no sense to me.

[BuckTales02]

NC could try charging for fishing licenses, alteast for out of state folks? I'd pay a few bucks to fish there the week I'm down there each year, and I'm always a fan of use-taxes --- ie. the people that use it are the people that pay for it - not some bull****** where my taxes pay for the future llama farmers of america's new gubment funded cabin in western MD, lol [smile]

[Woody Fish]

I read yesterday (4/17) in the Daily Press that the dredge funding had been provided by the Corps of Engineers. Some surplus funds were redirected from another project that underspent their allocation.

[Tail Chaser]

Also heard the same thing that they received funds, only enough for 1 more month, from another project.

Russ