Few in government seem concerned about this kind of welfare

To the editor:

Rep. Wes Keller has proposed a bill to require recipients of welfare to swear that they are not abusing drugs or alcohol. Without debating the wisdom of that measure, I would ask that the Legislature also show the same concern about who gets corporate welfare.

Take, for instance, state aid to big coal. Among other things, the state is providing funds for the rail extension from Houston to Port MacKenzie so Usibelli Coal Mine Inc. and Riversdale Alaska LLC can more easily ship the coal they hope to mine in the Matanuska Valley to buyers in Asia. These companies will pay very little to state or local government on these exports. Yet, the state is making it easier and more economical for them to sell off our resources, which, at the same time, will tidily increase the corporate profit margin.

Very few in state government seem to be concerned about this kind of welfare. I think they need to be. We need to be aware that this, in fact, is welfare, too. We all should be asking ourselves where our self-interest lies and whether these corporations are deserving of so much state aid. The conclusion might be that providing corporate welfare with so little in return makes no sense whatsoever. Maybe corporate executives are the ones who should be required to provide samples in little paper cups.

Judy Donegan

Palmer