Lake County News | California - Thompson: Don’t forget rural America

Our country is facing some of the biggest challenges I’ve seen in my lifetime, and we must act quickly and carefully to put our country back on the path of greatness.

There has been much talk of the need to invest in infrastructure projects that will employ Americans while rebuilding our nation. But in this discussion once again America’s rural areas are being ignored.

Approximately 50 million Americans live in rural communities, and they face the same challenges confronting all other Americans.

People across this country are struggling to pay their mortgages and afford rising health care costs, while still putting groceries in their refrigerator and gas in their tanks.

But rural communities are hit even harder by the tough economy, especially when it comes to jobs. In my district, for example, one rural county’s unemployment is over three percentage points higher than the average for the state as a whole.

Despite the bleaker outlook facing rural communities, we fail to invest equitably in their economic health.

Right now, the federal government invests $500 less per person in rural communities than in urban areas. But this proportion does not fairly recognize the importance of rural infrastructure to our country’s economy.

For example, America’s interstate highways help transport 77 percent of America’s freight. On a typical day, about 33 million tons of goods, valued at about $27 billion, are transported across America’s highways.

We must recognize that the highways are more than just a way for rural folks to get to work, they are one of the main arteries of our country’s economy.

A broader stimulus plan that ultimately only funds projects in urban and suburban communities will fail to provide the broad economic benefit Congress intends.

Congress should build on the precedent created in previous funding bills to include similar guarantees of equitable funding for rural areas.

America’s economy cannot be restored to greatness without investing in all Americans, not just those in urban areas.

Congressman Mike Thompson represents Lake County in the US House of Representatives.

highways?
written by smurf, January 09, 2009

Mikey, our highways are in fine shape around here, hell caltrans repaved parts of 29 THREE times this last year! We need money for COUNTY and CITY road repairs, we NEED the tax money you guys took from us on gas! Got that Mikey?
The CA state government is dysfunctional, don't give them a dime, just send us the cash and we'll handle the rest without a lot of that money staying in the hands of bureaucrats in sacramento.

Lake County needs a gasoline t
written by allen, January 09, 2009

A gasoline tax to maintain our roads. Waiting for grants from the state or the feds is ridiculous. Let's pave the redneck sections of the city of Clearlake.

So what are we supposed
written by Donna Christopher, January 09, 2009

do with this info, call our Congressman? I like your idea smurf, put the gas tax monies in the hands of the respective Counties in CA. Sac is a black hole.

More BS
written by DDean, January 10, 2009

Americas economy will never be restored until we slap the snot out of 95% of our self serving politicans.Many of which are on the new team.STOP STOP STOP spending money we dont have you idiots.The new pres.says the Government is the answer to our problems.Hell,the Government is the problem.

Rerunning Ronnie
written by Donna Christopher, January 10, 2009

Rayguns tired old mantra no longer gets it DDean. I will concur that our incredibly mismanaged government under Bush is a disaster. If he wasn't on Bin Laden's team he may as well have been. I think the TARP to Wall Street is bad idea. Loans to a more responsive Detroit is a good thing.Restructuring mortgages for folks that still have jobs is good. Rebuilding our infrastructure in necessary and is a matter of national security. Spending money to make us energy independent is a no-brainer. I first blanched at the amount of money it will take to fix this mess but then I remembered my quaking hand as I signed my mortgage. How could I go this far in debt?? Well I did, the place is paid for and I'm glad I had the guts to go for it. We cannot simply do nothing. We do need to discuss our solutions but dragging out 25 year old sound bites is not how to do it.

more than a highway....
written by lenny, January 11, 2009

I just hope that our Representatives are truly looking at the picture ahead. Frankly I don’t think it’s very pretty. Now maybe I’m wrong, but I do believe we are in deep, deep doo doo! Local sustainability is where we will need to be very quickly. Again, maybe I’m wrong but the roads are going to be used by emergency vehicles the National Guard, and our local law enforcement only. It will be used by citizens with a pass and proper ID!! I.E. state of emergency….for a while anyway until the civil and social chaos/violence comes to a slow close, followed with very little gas available for those vehicles anyway!!
What can I say, guess I awoke this morning as a fatalist.
On a lighter note….we will survive and probably return a better and more productive society, with a deeper appreciation of what Debra Chase is trying to share with us in her commentary this morning…

I truly hope MT realizes
written by Donna Christopher, January 11, 2009

that infrastructure means more than just highways. Our dams and levees are old, as are bridges, water, sewer lines and treatment facilities. A great project would be the undergrounding of utilities, we could eliminate the blight of them, their vulnerability to vehicles running into them and I'd imagine that not sitting in blazing heat in the summer and freezing in the winter they may need far less maintenance. If you get a chance to stand on a ridge overlooking Spring Valley it is reminiscent of a cat playing with string with lines everywhich way and then some.