The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
Before shovels were in the ground, Trump declared the White House would not be impacted by the building of his ballroom. After destroying the East Wing of the White House, Trump assured citizens that no taxpayer money would be used to build his ballroom.
The Washington Post reported that the cost of his projects on the White House grounds will rise to at least $927 million, with that money coming mostly from taxpayers. Trump never sought permission nor funding from Congress for his ballroom, claiming private donations would cover all of the costs.
The administration is channeling money from other government agencies to an account that is used for routine maintenance, not major building projects. MacFarlane News reports that more than $323 million has been transferred from the National Park Service to Trump’s vanity projects on the White House grounds.
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This transfer took place in spite of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum acknowledging there is a $30 billion backlog of deferred maintenance in our national parks. Another $100 million is projected to be spent for projects on the National Mall.
Congress is the branch of our government that the Constitution assigns responsibility for safeguarding the people’s money in our nation. The Republican-controlled Congress continues to look the other way while the Treasury is being emptied of the people’s money.
This $423 million of taxpayer’s money, which is being taken for projects on the White House grounds and National Mall, is more money than allotted to many of our national parks combined. Meanwhile, this administration has reduced the park size by 90% at the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments to open acreage for possible uranium mining activity.
When will Republicans in Congress begin working on behalf of the people they were elected to serve and protect?
Hanson, of Elkhorn, is a member of the Walworth County Democratic Party.
