Tom Wurtz is a resident of Fort Mitchell.

As legislatures and crony-capitalists gear up for the 2016 Kentucky General Assembly, I’m sure tolls for the Brent Spence Bridge project will be a major issue. The big government crowd will cry that the federal government is broke and raising taxes (tolls) is the only solution. They’re lying. The federal government has all the money they need to fund 128 Brent Spence Bridge projects. Here are four examples:

Shuttle launches

In July 2011, NASA launched its last shuttle mission. They averaged five launches per year at a cost of $1.5 billion per launch or $7.5 billion per year. In fiscal year 2011, NASA’s budget was $18.4 billion. For fiscal year 2016, President Obama is requesting a budget of $18.5 billion. Only in government would NASA’s budget remain constant without further launches. Over the last four years, NASA should have saved $30 billion in launch costs or 12 Brent Spence Bridge projects.

Planned Parenthood

The nation is abuzz with the Planned Parenthood undercover videos proving the agency sells aborted baby parts for profit. Numerous Planned Parenthood doctors have been videoed haggling with vendors over the price for a baby’s heart, lungs and liver. One doctor, while poking through the remains of an aborted baby, is heard saying, “It’s another boy!” Translation: An abortion is not removing a tissue mass, abortion is the murder of a human being. If Congress took away Planned Parenthood’s $500 million in annual taxpayer money, that money over five years would complete the Brent Spence Bridge project.

Isn’t it nobler to save a dying bridge than kill babies and sell their body parts for profit? Since we’re a society of slogans, how about “Babies’ Lives Matter – Let’s Build Bridges.” It fits well on a sign or shirt.

Benefit payments

The Fiscal Times reports, “It’s not news that the federal government has a serious issue with improper payments. During each of the last five years, agencies have doled out more than $100 billion in erroneous payments from various major benefit programs. Even knowing this, the problem only seems to be getting worse.” Over the last five years, an incompetent federal government has wasted 40 Brent Spence Bridge projects.

Federal income

The U.S. Treasury reports that federal income has increased by $187 billion for the first nine months in fiscal year 2015 or 75 Brent Spence Bridge projects. Fiscal year 2015 federal income will exceed $3 trillion, an all-time record.

There’s plenty of federal money. The above examples alone total $319.5 billion, or 128 Brent Spence Bridge projects.

Soon the tollsters will begin their 2016 marketing campaign for increasing taxes (tolls). Resist their fear-mongering that you are responsible for traffic delays or accidents. That guilt trip must be laid at the feet of the U.S. Congress.

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