To the editor:

It was nice to have our vice president visit Rhode Island last week. Joe Biden is a nice man and should be welcomed throughout the United States. 

I do question the motive for his visit. Apparently, the governor needs all the support she can get to push her plan for tolls on trucks. 

I also question the validity of flying the VP to Rhode Island, replete with his entourage and security agents, to verify the deplorable condition of our roads and highways. Seriously? We need the VP to tell us we need to spend more money to maintain our infrastructure?

What if the federal government just gave the funds spent on the VP’s trip to Rhode Island and the governor spent it on our roads? I am sure our politicians can come up with numerous reasons why the VP’s travel funds can’t be used to fix our roads, the primary being it makes too much common sense.

I guess my primary concern is the way our governor and legislature are spending our tax dollars. Our taxes are some of highest in the nation and we still need additional revenue to maintain our roads and bridges. Really? 

Perhaps the real problem is how the state prioritizes, budgets and spends our tax money. How much does it cost to fund our sanctuary state and should that money be spent on our infrastructure before we give it away to illegal immigrants for subsidized housing, education, healthcare and food stamps? 

Another source of funds that could be used to maintain our roads might come from the grants that are approved by the legislature in each budget cycle. Again, it is a question of priority. Are grants more important that maintaining our roads?

It is obvious that Rhode Island collects enough revenue to maintain our roads; it is simply a problem of spending it on other things. 

Robert Bledsoe

348 Windstone Drive

Portsmouth