Our U.S. economy is not globally competitive. One key negative is the lack of world-class infrastructure. Another is the continuing lack of good jobs in the economy. Yet a main source of good jobs, based on past experience, has been infrastructure construction. (Remember Eisenhower’s Transcontinental Highway Program?)

Infrastructure maintenance and upgrades takes a lot of money. And of course, it can be funded by federal, state and/ or private sources. But Congress seems paralyzed by the demand for offsetting spending cuts. Yet there may be a simple self-funding solution.

Think what a simple 10-cent per gallon increase in motor-fuel taxes would raise. There hasn’t been such an increase since 1993 and this boost could fund a world-class infrastructure bank. That might be just what the doctor ordered.

BILL MILLAGER

Rogers

VOTING FOR

AMBULANCE FEE

Those of us who live out in Benton County should say a “thank you” to Leeanna Walker for her Rogers column of Jan. 16 regarding the rural ambulance service. I generally am in favor of having the citizens vote on issues where money is to be collected from citizens — things like taxes. But in regard to the ambulance service, I am happy the Quorum Court took the initiative to ensure ambulance service would be available for the county. No one wants to call 911 and not have anyone show up!

Notwithstanding the protestations of the gentleman who solicited my signature on his petition that the city or county was obligated to provide ambulance service to the county and I could sue them if they didn’t, he is just wrong. Those of us in the county have long lived off the largess of the city dwellers who paid for our ambulance service in the past. They can’t afford it any longer, and it is unfair that we should continue to expect them to do so. Perhaps, as Ms. Walker suggests, if the vote fails, some other solution will be found, but even if that is so, I doubt it will be less expensive than the one proposed by the Quorum Court. I don’t want to take that chance. I, for one, am voting for the fee.

Thank you, Quorum Court, for taking the initiative to fix this problem. When I call for an ambulance, I want one to come, pronto! It is worth $85 per year ($7.00 per month; $1.63 per week) to know they will.

ALLAN CALDWELL

Rogers