I may be mistaken, but I thought most private enterprises got startup capital from either a loan or private investors. So, in theory the entrepreneur takes risk in order to make financial gain for himself.

It is interesting that the east-west highway study will be funded with taxpayer dollars.

I’ve heard it said that “now the state has some skin in the game.” I do not see it that way.

It seems that the entrepreneur in this case has avoided any risk from the study by passing that risk to the taxpayer.

Based on the results of past studies, my guess is that taxpayers have less than a 50-50 shot at being repaid the money.

If, in fact, the study is a positive one, the entrepreneur in this case most likely would then secure a loan and reap the profits of the venture. Taxpayers would win an unlikely bet and break even.

It does not seem like a good risk to take with taxpayers’ money. In addition to a gambling approach, it has not clearly assessed whether any commerce would be reduced in the process of trying to create some.

And lastly, what kind of pollution will be created? Sometimes pollution costs more taxpayer money to deal with in the long run.

Tobey McAfee

Augusta