June 19, 2008
Thursday PM

I've had this thought going around my head for a while, mostly since the state said how flush their budget is since the price of oil went up. Our legislators are just chomping at the bit to spend it on things in their areas. Meanwhile, we the users of oil are dying from the price we are paying. Fuel is now our biggest operating expense, pushed insurance right out of the way.

I am a one man company and I have been paying almost 3 grand a month for fuel. A lot of fishermen are saying they might not even fish for salmon this year. Why can't the state give us a rebate or something like that so we do not choke the state out of good jobs. For me I am still doing jobs I priced out for people last year and I have been trying to not raise the cost so they can still afford to do their work. It's not my policy to rape my friends that's why I am still working on these projects. But I know it's hurting so many of us that depend on fuel to keep the state working and improving. I do not care about the commuters that just drive their cars to work because they can ride the Bus. But it's hard form me to haul rocks and all my tools on the bus.

Really now, what's more important to the state? The price tags for the projects are going to raise and we will pay the price or not do the jobs. No gain there. I know there's not much chance that you would go for my idea. But if I could get some help on my fuel bill it would help me pay my insurance when it comes due in August.

There seem to be some other thing the state is doing to hurt us. It's like this new D.O.T. cop that has been coming to town and harassing us. I do understand it is important to have your commercial vehicles all working good but this guy cares nothing about our lives. He pulls us over, takes three hours to go through our trucks at the time we are working. The only time this is acceptable is if there is a problem we've caused. The state should have inspection stations set up so when you go in to get your new tags you have to pass through. This would be done every year at our time not when were out trying to make our keep.

And why do they treat the busses differently? I heard he did some but did not have time to do others. And what about the drivers of the busses who checked them when it's done that way? I would like to see every car on the road have inspections done to make sure they're safe. Some drive the biggest junk around. If you can not afford to keep your car working and looking safe it should not be allowed on the road. The other day I was choked out by a junker that could not even get up to speed. I followed a small motor home out north that was bouncing all over, no shock sand overloaded. And you tell me since I am a professional driver I need to be safe. But if the guy in the motor home had crashed into me it would have been my fault because I have a C.D.L.

O.K. one last thing. What was the Governor thinking Governor when she took on the new laws from the E.P.A.? Are you trying to put an end to all construction in our state? Did you ever take the Erosion & Sediment control class? The laws are not for working in a rain forest. Do you care about southeastern Alaska? It is just an environmentalist way of shutting down the state. We are different than Fairbanks where all these do-gooders seem to be coming from. Sure, making a big mess is not good but what about Iowa? I hope God gets fined for that mess.

Robert McRoberts
Ketchikan, AK

Received June 16, 2008 - Published June 19, 2008

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