Stephen T. Sarvi: Not all federal earmarks are bad

Part of congressional leadership is getting money to the places that need it in the state you represent.

By STEPHEN T. SARVI

Last update: December 13, 2007 - 7:03 PM

Every year, we Minnesotans send our tax dollars to Washington, putting more into the federal pot than we get back. Our state is blessed with talented and hard-working people who generally don't begrudge sending money where it is most needed for the common good.

However, U.S. Rep. John Kline, who the Star Tribune reported on Dec. 10 has decided to no longer seek "earmarks" on behalf of our state, would have us believe that bringing money home for high-priority projects is "corrupt" -- and in taking this stance, he's gone too far.

For every "bridge to nowhere" -- the infamous Alaskan project that, it bears noting, Kline voted for in 2005 -- there are many projects for which Minnesota's congressional delegation can and should seek federal dollars. These projects are not extravagant or wasteful -- and members of Congress who seek them in the interest of the people they represent are not corrupt; they are doing their job.

Federal funds secured by members of Congress are commonly used to help with transportation projects. These projects keep the people and products of our state moving, and as such are the backbone of our economy. Providing for transportation needs is a basic function of government.

Minnesotans expect leadership from elected officials on this issue. I recently traveled Minnesota's Second Congressional District -- which Kline currently represents -- as part of a listening tour. The problems I heard aren't much different from what I heard when I was Watertown mayor before stepping down to serve in Iraq, they're just worse: unsafe roads, constant traffic jams, aging bridges. People in our communities don't care whether Republicans or Democrats meet them at the table to solve problems. They do care that government at its various levels -- all supported by taxpayers -- can't seem to cooperate to use those tax dollars efficiently.

It shouldn't take a tragedy to bring us together in support of infrastructure investment. The Interstate 35W bridge collapse has brought all levels of government together for a common goal: to build a new bridge in just over a year. In contrast, the I-494 Wakota Bridge has faced years of delay, and the U.S. Hwy. 212 corridor has taken 50 years from planning to completion.

In Iraq, I saw the impact that a seriously impaired infrastructure has on a nation. I also saw billions of American dollars being spent to build and repair infrastructure. Are we to believe spending money on critical improvements at home is somehow corrupt, while repairing roads and bridges overseas is a top priority?

Continued prosperity depends on continued quality improvements in transportation. The federal government must play a role in these improvements. Increasingly, however, this responsibility is falling to local government. The more we depend on one level of government, the longer we'll wait for important work to get done, the harder it will be -- and the more it will cost.

Citizens, local government and state government must do their parts to ensure that we raise and spend tax dollars appropriately. Our members of Congress do not engage in corruption, as Kline claims, when they work hard to see that Minnesota's sorely needed tax dollars come back to our state instead of going elsewhere. Our representatives are supposed to go to bat for us; it's one of the things we "hire" them to do. If they don't want to do it, the good people of Minnesota can hire someone else.

Stephen T. Sarvi is running for Congress in Minnesota's Second District.

Recent Commentary stories

Google roundup: Hear, hear, for standing up against evil - December 13, 2007

Google roundup: Hear, hear, for standing up against evil - Google may not win its fight against the Chinese government, but bless it for trying. More

Comment on this story | Be the first to comment | Hide reader comments

About Opinion Exchange

Opinion Exchange is produced by the Editorial Department, which is dedicated to hosting the discussion on a range of issues of interest to Star Tribune readers online and in print. In its new format, it's our hope that Opinion Exhange will create a more dynamic dialogue between Star Tribune readers and the Editorial Board. Many individual posts will be written and signed by members of the Editorial Board and will reflect their own opinions. Daily editorials will continue to represent the institutional voice of the newspaper and be researched and written by the Editorial Department, which is independent of the newsroom.

Subscribe to RSS|Learn more about RSS