Read an op-ed in the Bellevue Reporter by Rich Stillman, CEO of Tecplot, Inc, arguing that the West has a competitive advantage over the rest of the country because of its quality of life.
Excerpt: “Maintaining this competitive advantage requires balancing development of our public lands with protections for the places our communities care about — those irreplaceable landscapes that local sportsmen, skiers, climbers, hikers, and even us techies count on for our way of life.
The logical conclusion is continued support of programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the nation’s premier funding source to protect our outdoors and provide public access to the outdoors.
Dealing responsibly with the federal government’s deficit problems requires identifying and prioritizing what our nation needs most to compete in the world today and continue to support companies like mine that rely on a skilled and balanced workforce. Congress and the White House should keep America’s parks and public lands on the priority list.”