State should make investments now

I was stricken with amazement and disbelief as I read the article in The Herald on Nov. 11 that detailed the state of Washington’s handling of funds in regard to the expected sockeye salmon run in Lake Washington next summer. Since when is it a “hard sell” to convince someone to invest $738,000 to earn a return of $12 million in a matter of months, or more than $1 million to get a return of $28 million?

There isn’t a person alive who wouldn’t jump at such an opportunity if they were given a chance. Yet, the state is having a hard time figuring out what to do. Am I missing something here? Surely the state can locate $1 million somewhere to fund the projects so that it can increase its revenues by $28 million. To miss this opportunity to increase the state’s revenues and provide a fishery in Lake Washington next summer because of under-funding would be criminal. How often do we get a record run of sockeye salmon in the lake?

If the state can’t get it together to provide this fishery, the management of the resource should be turned over to a private organization. They would love to make returns like this on investments. I think every taxpayer and sportsman should contact their legislators and the Fisheries Department to let them know how they feel about this looming funding debacle and mismanagement.

Snohomish