That's Michigan State Rep. John Pastor of Livnoia, who has visited DEQ offices to shout at a regulator who was holding his development project to the letter of the state wetlands law, who has consistently voted against the environment, and is now questioning the wisdom of the voters in approving Constitutional protection for the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund in the 1980s and 1990s.
From a Capitol newsletter:
"Rep. John Pastor (R-Livonia) argued the Legislature had called last year for a moratorium on new state land purchases. 'I would rather take this money and improve our park system,' he said."
Sounds reasonable. Until you realize this means Michigan doesn't buy thousands of acres of unspoiled land (UP forestland, Great Lakes shoreline) that will never be on the market again. Until you realize that to Rep. Pastor, "improve" means building parking lots and filling in wetlands. And until you realize that the voters have spoken more than once at the polls -- they want more recreational land, especially close to home.