Fund program that works

To the editor:

As federal spending dries up in one area, it still goes up somewhere else. Twelve years ago there was one federal program that did work — $2 million went for kilns and planers.

Out of that money, about 12 full-time jobs were created. The first go-around was 80 percent funding. With some money left for a second go the next year, funding was dropped to 60 percent. I have been trying to get it to happen again ever since then only to fail, on both the state and federal levels.

Last year was asking for funding from our governor, only to be told that the state has a good loan program. For some reason, neither really wants to create jobs, they just say they do. Now the state Department of Commerce and Economic Development is getting federal money for China trade so manufactures can sell their goods. They sent out 160 letters with invites to go to China and show their goods and hope for future markets.

Guess what? There were 160 no-gos. I called the Department of Commerce and talked to several people, and I managed to convince one of them to try and secure funds for more kilns. State budget will be done by May this year and it might not happen. I was also told that federal budgets are drying up and it might not be able to happen.

I urge everyone who would like to see a program that works, call your reps and economic leaders and ask for funding so our natural resource can have value-added and jobs created.

Jim Colier

Wrangell