Wolf-hating Senate kills bill to aid wolf victims
It might be a classic case of cutting off the nose to spite the face.
The Senate on Monday killed HB305, which would have created a check-off on state income tax returns whereby Utahns could voluntarily contribute to a fund to pay for the damage caused by wolves returning to the state.
Wolves, the majority ruled, are not welcome here.
Lawmakers lined up to rant against wolves.
The problem with the reasoning, however, is that the bill would have created a fund to pay farmers for the livestock killed by wolves, which are protected by the Endangered Species Act and cannot be killed by angry ranchers.
Without the compensation fund, the ranchers will have to eat the cost of the livestock lost to hungry wolves migrating south from packs in Yellowstone.