 By MJ Cadle November 15, 2005
Point out that Don Young was heard to say 'when the bridge is closed because of unsafe weather, the ferries will be used to get to the airport'. The same ferries he says are stymying growth in Ketchikan. Point out the parking will
be on the far side of the airport requiring us to walk or shuttle
farther then we do now to get to the terminal while it is still
on this side of the runways. Point out when the weather is bad and we have to ferry accross (on those same ferries we are replacing with the bridge), we will then have to shuttle around to the far side of the airport to the newly relocated terminal. Point out building the bridge won't bring jobs to Ketchikan because we don't have steel workers in Ketchikan to build this bridge and will have to import workers., workers that will send their money south. Point out the high wages the steel workers will be paid will raise already exorbitant rents higher and price out lower income and single parent families. And finally, if the bridge costs increase at the same pace the Third Avenue Bypass increased, which was 9, yes 9, times initially proposed, the total cost for the bridge will be over 2 Billion dollars, before COLA for those out of state steel workers is even figured in and not counting moving the terminal. I don't know about you, but I don't make enough money to be above paying federal taxes so unlike those in Ketchikan that say "we won't pay for the bridge, the federal government will;" I will be paying for the bridge and I can't even pay for all my medical expenses because they aren't all tax deductable. MJ Cadle
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