Strib-Letter:

I'm stunned. Someone at the Strib printed this letter:

RAISE THE GAS TAX?
No, forgo the frills

If I hear one more person whine about the need to raise taxes for bridges, I will pull out what little hair I have left.

Any politician who voted to give a single dime to any arts project, zoo, sports team or (insert nonessential boondoggle here) should be hiding his/her head. It is long past time that every government body -- be it city, county, state or federal -- get back to the fundamentals it is mandated to provide: basic infrastructure and the protection of the citizenry.

Until you get your act together, both Reps and Dems, a pox on both your houses. This bridge didn't collapse due to a lack of funding. It collapsed because politicians of both stripes got sidetracked from the necessities by the niceties, and the people asked them to ignore the difference between needs and wants. We all should recognize the difference.


JAY HUYCK, MAPLE GROVE

Thank you Jay. I guess I should thank the Strib, too.