Taxpayer money to build squirrel bridges, 400 Large

[Bateluer]

In my resident state, no less. I realize this is federal stimulus money, but it kinda infuriates me that Arizona just passed state wide sales tax increase, the city of Phoenix passed a sales tax on all food items, and several municipalities have raised their own sales and property taxes. The state may be broke, but they can still piss 400K down the drain like this?

Why are the only solutions to a budget crises tax increases or cuts? There's no room for adjusting how the state does business and conducts their operations? These squirrel bridges could be brought to local boy scout troops, for example, and built and installed for next to nothing. The Scouts get experience in wood work, knotting, forestry, etc, potentially earning several merit badges, the bridges themselves would be of higher quality and cost a fraction of the price.

http://www.kgun9.com/global/story.asp?s=12656088

SAFFORD, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - The Arizona Department of Transportation plans to spend $400,000 to help squirrels cross the road safely.

The squirrels are severely endangered Mount Graham Red Squirrels. They are only found on that one mountain. A count taken in 2009 indicates there are only 250 left in the world. That works out to $1600 per squirrel.

ADOT will build 41 "canopy crossings", essentially small, rope or webbing bridges to help the squirrels avoid cars as they cross roads.

Dr. Robin Silver of the Center for Biological Diversity says researchers think cars kill about six of the rare squirrels a year but it is hard to be sure of that number because scavengers clean up the road kill so quickly.

9 On Your Side wants to know if building bridges for squirrels, even endangered squirrels, is a good use of public dollars. KGUN9's Craig Smith put that question to Linda Ritter of ADOT.

Smith: "I'm just thinking of other things that have had to be set aside for the moment: rest stops closed, paving and road maintenance deferred, things of that sort and people will say, well, why squirrels, why now?"

Linda Ritter/ADOT: "Why squirrels right now? The squirrels are an endangered species, the most endangered in the world and we do have a responsibility to mitigate the environmental impact on those squirrels."

Linda Ritter said the money comes from federal dollars. ADOT has to use it for squirrels or lose it.

The Eastern Arizona Courier reported that Graham County Chamber of Commerce interim director Marie Firestone sent an e-mail to ADOT calling the project "absolutely insane." When contacted by KGUN9 News about that, Firestone declined to comment.

What do the squirrels' neighbors think of the plan?

Mount Graham camper Glenn Smith said, "Survival of the species is very important to me." But even so Smith was also worried about the cost. "You have to think of the humans being employed first and their plight."

Safford resident Josh Boivin favors the plan: "I think it's a pretty good thing. I think if they can save the squirrels and keep the population alive for my kids to enjoy I think that'd be a real good thing. "

But Safford resident Silvestre Rivera thinks the money would be better used elsewhere. "That'd be kind of nice to just get that money and return it to our school systems vs. the squirrels. I'm sorry. I like squirrels but our children are more important I think."

Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall.

 

[StageLeft]

Think of the squirrels, how heartless are you?!

Reminds me of a pic I saw of the oil spill and somebody cleaning up an oil spilled crab on the beach. How many crabs like that are there there? Millions? Fvcking step on that thing, who gives a sh*t.

 

[Bateluer]

Think of the squirrels, how heartless are you?!

Reminds me of a pic I saw of the oil spill and somebody cleaning up an oil spilled crab on the beach. How many crabs like that are there there? Millions? Fvcking step on that thing, who gives a sh*t.

I was, which was why I proposed a more economical solution that actually benefits the taxpayers instead of just adding more debt to the pile.

Unlike the crabs though, these squirrels are critically endangered, with less than 250 in the wild.

 

[BoberFett]

Budgets are cut to the bone.

The only thing left is cutting police and fire departments.

There is no other way.

 

[Craig234]

Severely endangered? Then good. I'm for the preservation of biological diverty (reduce extinction - we're in the middle of the 6th great mass extinction).

That means some measures to mitigate the damage as man continues to expand into more and more space.

 

[Red Dawn]

And these squirrels are going to use the bridges instead of crossing the highways?

 

[Vette73]

Why a bridge? Damm squirrels near my home will run on top of power lines, Fios lines, etc... Just throw a rope up and let evolution take its place.

 

[MotF Bane]

Budgets are cut to the bone.

The only thing left is cutting police and fire departments.

There is no other way.

We can't possibly vut spending.

And these squirrels are going to use the bridges instead of crossing the highways?

This.

Why a bridge? Damm squirrels near my home will run on top of power lines, Fios lines, etc... Just throw a rope up and let evolution take its place.

And this.

 

[Bateluer]

Budgets are cut to the bone.
The only thing left is cutting police and fire departments.

Bull. Put me into the Governor's seat and I'm certain I could cut 1/3rd from the total budget without too much trouble and with minimal impact on police/fire.

 

[KB]

Well the money comes from federal dollars, so even if it wasn't spent it wouldn't reduce your state taxes. Losing a species is a great shame as you won't be able to get them back as they are ever again. I understand the desire to save them and think we should, however spending $400,000 for squirrel bridges is a bit much. Me and a buddy could do it for a few grand or you could put up a fence for cheap.

 

[nick1985]

Severely endangered? Then good. I'm for the preservation of biological diverty (reduce extinction - we're in the middle of the 6th great mass extinction).

That means some measures to mitigate the damage as man continues to expand into more and more space.

How about that stimulus money gets refunded to the taxpayers, and you can pay for the bridge by yourself?

 

[nonlnear]

Wow. I'm actually with Craig234 on this one...

I'm not a fan of huge federal spending orgasms, but they are what they are. It's federal money, and there's good reason why natural resources (including biodiversity) are managed at the federal level. $400 000 is peanuts for pretty much any jurisdiction except for the smallest counties, so if you are truly concerned about fiscal responsibility you would do well to look for larger numbers. And frankly, saving a species that's down to 250 individuals sounds like it just might be worth a tiny bit of effort.

As for this:

Why a bridge? Damm squirrels near my home will run on top of power lines, Fios lines, etc... Just throw a rope up and let evolution take its place.

Just how much bridge do you think the feds are capable of building for a paltry $400 000? Keep in mind it's more than one bridge. I suspect these bridges will not consists of much more than you suggest.

 

[Evadman]

the money comes from federal dollars. ADOT has to use it for squirrels or lose it.

So they don't get the option to spend the dollars on something else.

 

[Vette73]

Wow. I'm actually with Craig234 on this one...


As for this:
Just how much bridge do you think the feds are capable of building for a paltry $400 000? Keep in mind it's more than one bridge. I suspect these bridges will not consists of much more than you suggest.

Here is a pic of what they are doing...

Looks a little more fancy then just a rope.

 

[shiner]

And these squirrels are going to use the bridges instead of crossing the highways?

Step 2 is hiring crossing guards to help them across the bridge. The stimulus plan is putting people back to work!!!

 

[child of wonder]

Save 250 squirrels or feed 4,000 homeless people for a month.

Hmm.....

 

[IndyColtsFan]

And these squirrels are going to use the bridges instead of crossing the highways?

Yes, once they spend another $400K to make signs pointing the squirrels to the squirrel bridges, I'm sure it will work.

 

[Genx87]

And squirrels will simply cross the road and get hit anyways. What a waste of taxpayers money.

 

[classy]

Questionable. But if they believe this will help rebuild and protect a very rare animal then I guess its money well spent. We can't just allow entire breeds of animals to die off without at least attempting to rebuild the species. No question economic times puts this in a questionable category, but we can't throw up our hands and say the hell with everything.

 

[ayabe]

I'd rather save some squirrels than drop a couple smartbombs, good investment.

 

[classy]

And squirrels will simply cross the road and get hit anyways. What a waste of taxpayers money.

Actually thats not true. I live in a wooded area and we have lots of these little buggers. For what ever reason squirrels have a tendancy to want to climb and cross areas using trees or whatever else. They can easily walk across the yard, but they will use the fence, the roof of the house, anything up off the ground unless they have too. If these squirrels are anything behavior wise like the ones at my house, they'll use these bridges.

 

[nonlnear]

Here is a pic of what they are doing...

Looks a little more fancy then just a rope.

I can't tell from the picture what the heavier strands are, so in my books that may very well be just rope. It all depends on what your definition of "just" is.

Save 250 squirrels or feed 4,000 homeless people for a month.

Hmm.....

So by your reasoning the closer a species is to extinction, the less justifiable it is to spend a certain amount of money to save it. Interesting...

 

[Capt Caveman]

Being Fed dollars, I have no problem that my tax money is going towards the preservation of this endangered species.

Actually thats not true. I live in a wooded area and we have lots of these little buggers. For what ever reason squirrels have a tendancy to want to climb and cross areas using trees or whatever else. They can easily walk across the yard, but they will use the fence, the roof of the house, anything up off the ground unless they have too. If these squirrels are anything behavior wise like the ones at my house, they'll use these bridges.

Correct. Squirrels by nature will take to the heights for traveling. I'm guessing an instinctual behavior to hide from predators.

 

[boomerang]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eScDfYzMEEw

 

[Genx87]

Actually thats not true. I live in a wooded area and we have lots of these little buggers. For what ever reason squirrels have a tendancy to want to climb and cross areas using trees or whatever else. They can easily walk across the yard, but they will use the fence, the roof of the house, anything up off the ground unless they have too. If these squirrels are anything behavior wise like the ones at my house, they'll use these bridges.

Ha do you sit all day and watch these squirrels to verify they only cross lanes of traffic via trees? We have large tree's in Minneapolis that squirrels can easily climb to get to the other side of the road. Instead they dart on the ground. These arent rational beings. That is my point. You build a bridge it isnt like they will go, oh the govt built us a bridge, lets us that. They will simply do whatever their bebe sized brain tells them to do at that point in time. If it means dart in front of a car, they will, without thinking twice.