Roads tax must be for roads only Don't change the Conservation Dept.

To the Editor

I want to thank the editors of the Daily American Republic newspaper in Poplar Bluff for keeping up on the business of the Missouri Conservation Department and the need for having our road and bridges repaired or replaced.

Our Conservation Department has been in operation for almost 80 years and has been the envy of all the other states since the voter approval of the one-eighth cent sales tax in 1976. It has operated almost flawlessly all these years and has made no exceptions for any certain areas within the state of Missouri. The law encompasses all areas of the state with no favoritism.

The four member Conservation Commission has done an exceptionally great job making sure that things are the same in all parts of the state of Missouri. The selection of the Conversation Commission members are made by the Governor of the State of Missouri serving at the present time. Most governors have the opportunity to select one member, sometimes the governor has the opportunity to select two members of the conservation commission. This is not a political appointment but the selection of a person which has a good interest in the responsibilities of the entire Conservation Department. If the commission is changed the ways Senator Brian Munzlinger wants, having the state divided into six areas with a representative for each area, which is also being backed by Senator Libla of Poplar Bluff, would be a disaster with six different people wanting special attention for their area. If this change could happen, then our Conservation Department would turn around and become the laughing stock of our nation. The big question is how has these people backing such a change ever gotten re-elected??

My wife, Eileen, and myself have worked along side with the Conservation Department through Eileen's wildlife art and we have seen an organization operate flawlessly for many years, so why mess it up?? The people of Missouri need to write or call these senators and tell them to get their heads out of their -- and do the job that they were elected to do.

The second area needed to be addressed is the ability of our senators and representatives to get something done as to the condition of our roads and bridges. I read in the paper that Senator Libla has proposed to have a six percent gas tax. Is this tax designated as a Road and Bridge Tax or is it a transportation tax where airports, river ports and transportation venues getting their cut before any of it actually gets to repairing or replacing roads and bridges? We need a ROAD AND BRIDGE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT TAX -- PERIOD. The longer it takes to do what is needed, the worse our roads and bridges will become.

I am asking for the people of the State of Missouri to write or call your Senator and Representative and tell them to get their job done. If not, they can be replaced. Information to contact your politicians is published in your newspaper or can be found on the internet.

Gerald T. "Tom" Melton

Doniphan, MO