Auburn Dam
Rep. Robert Matsui (D-Sacramento) deserves praise and credit for his stand against the dinosaur Auburn Dam project and its backers’ attempts to use campaign contributions to pressure support for this loser of a proposal.
I strongly take exception to Robert Fairbanks’ article (Editorial Pages, March 31), which criticized Matsui. Californians should praise elected officials who say “no” to special interests who want taxpayers to subsidize their multibillion-dollar pet public works projects, especially when those projects don’t make economical or environmental sense.
Matsui is demonstrating this courage. He has forthrightly criticized the Auburn Dam Council’s scheme to place pressure on elected officials through campaign contributors.
Matsui is right--democracy works best when issues are decided based on their merits. He realizes that Auburn Dam can’t objectively be justified based on the facts.
Matsui should be congratulated for his work to protect our democratic system from campaign contributions and to prevent this raid on the public treasury.
COREY BROWN
Sacramento
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