Wildlife Crossings as Job Politics

State‑sponsored wildlife‑crossing projects are turning into high‑visibility jobs programs that can survive large budget overruns and delays because politicians value the local employment and PR gains more than cost effectiveness. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in California — pushed by Governor Gavin Newsom, now $114 million and delayed beyond 2025 — illustrates how ecological framing can shield contested public spending. — If environmental infrastructure is routinely treated as a political jobs engine, oversight, permitting, and value‑for‑money questions will become central to debates over climate and conservation spending.