Dear Editor:

Did you ever wonder what architects charge for their designs of public projects? Most architect fees are based on the value of the project and charge from 6% to10% of the total cost of the project they are asked to design. When there is a choice of designs, the architect and their influential friends will push for the most expensive design. The new proposed bridge over the Lehigh River in Jim Thorpe will approach the 50 million dollar price tag which will be paid by we the people.Our Pennsylvania government has been established by the people/citizens of PA over many years. We the people have trusted our representatives to make sure that we are getting the best value for our tax dollars. Why are we building a 50 million dollar bridge when a bridge with a price tag of anywhere between one half to one third of the price is all that we need. If our representatives local, state, and federal are not protecting our precious tax dollars from being spent foolishly, it is time for "we the people" to replace them with representatives who will be watchdogs for the people that they work for "we the people".Now is the time to stop the bridge project at the present proposed location before any more tax dollars are wasted. As I have advocated since the bridge project has been proposed, a new bridge next to the present bridge is what we need. A bridge one third the length that does not separate the community, safer, and much less expensive should be the obvious choice.Sheepels, now is not the time to follow the lost bell sheep. Speak to our representatives and demand a different, better and less expensive location. Do not let anyone convince you that it is too late to change direction. The first action to be taken when something wrong is being done is to stop the wrong doing.Gerald "Jerry"StrubingerJim Thorpe