"Costly Spider"

     

     On Tuesday, October 7, 2014 the Empower Texans posted Michael Quinn Sullivan’s blog titled, “Costly Spider.” Sullivan informs Texas taxpayers on how an eyeless spider (an endangered species) caused a halt to construction and an increase in the costs of a much needed intersection of two roadways in northwestern San Antonio. Sullivan claims that state and federal officials are using too much of taxpayers’ money just to accommodate a spider.

 Texas is a fast growing state and transportation improvements are needed to ensure safe and reliable mobility for all Texans. Sullivan states, “…construction of a badly needed intersection of two roadways was halted two years ago by the Texas Department of Transportation on the discovery of the Braken Bat Cave meshweaver, as the spider is known.” I believe that long and short term economic benefits can interfere with the protection and preservation of species. Land use restrictions to protect endangered species can pose negative impacts on tourism and business which may also lead to loss of jobs for some. According to Sullivan, state officials’ along with federal officials’ solution in accommodating and protecting this endangered species (spider) was to triple the use of taxpayers’ money to replace the original plan of building an underpass with a new plan to build an overpass. Sullivan strongly states, “Their solution, of course, involve lots of money. Your money.” According to Sullivan, this eyeless spider found in Bexar County is costing taxpayers about $44 million. Media reports and TxDOT officials claim that this new amount is three times the original cost. Sullivan strongly argues, “…taxpayers could have built three such interchanges for the price of this one, all because of an eyeless spider.” This extra money could be put to better use!

This money could be used towards much needed healthcare/education. How big of an impact do spiders make in our ecosystem? How does a child’s health/education benefit us? You can already see what weighs more. We no longer see Dinosaurs on the planet whereas they freely roamed on Earth eons ago. Has their non-existence made any difference to life on Earth? Dinosaurs’ absence has no effect on the food chain existing on the Earth. It is highly probable that the extinction of a particular species of animals may be of no consequence in the future; therefore, it would not be justified to spend an enormous amount of money in trying to save the species. On the other hand, if the species can be saved without much investment, then society should do its best to preserve the environment and the animals that live therein. I strongly agree with Sullivan when he humorously stated, “Maybe someone should have just bought a can of bug spray….”