Consider This: Support the Calcasieu Ship Channel

From John Ware, KPLC-TV
To view video, click here.

The Calcasieu Ship Channel is vital to our economy.

Estimates are that 36,000 jobs and 46 cents out of every dollar in your pocket comes from ship channel-related activities. Our industries rely on the channel to bring in raw materials and export products. That’s an economic driver we can’t afford to lose.

But there’s a problem. The channel has to be dredged to keep it deep enough for big ships. It costs about $8 million a year from the state budget to acquire space for the dredging.

But the channel generates about $155 million a year in state taxes, so it’s a good investment. If I asked you to give me $8 and told you I’d give you back $155, you’d probably want to make that deal. The state should also want to make a deal like that.

As the legislature looks for places to save money in the state budget, we think it’s crucial that they keep this investment in Southwest Louisiana. We suggest you support the ship channel and the Port of Lake Charles, and ask the state to do the same.

Without the channel, it would be tough to keep Southwest Louisiana open for business.