No Answers = a No Vote

On April 17, 2009 The Mountain Press printed a letter-to-the-editor with some questions concerning the sales tax increase "for the schools." The questions included:

 

How long will this tax go to the schools?

Will it be spent only on the capital improvements or the school system?

Has a law or ordinance been passed that guarantees the above? If so, when?

Has it been presented to the courts to see if this is legal?

 

The author wrote that several years ago the voters were asked to vote for a sales tax increase in the name of education. A year or so later when the voters of Sevier County asked about the whereabouts of the money they were told the Tennessee Constitution does not allow sales tax money to be earmarked in advance. The money went to the general fund and was distributed to the project the lawmakers felt was most in need. The tax stayed and education did not receive what the voters had been told.

 

I have contacted Governor Bredesen, State Senator Doug Overbey, and The Mountain Press asking if the author of the letter was correct about the Tennessee constitution prohibiting advance earmarking of Sales tax. State Senator Overbey responded that he did not know what the constitution of Tennessee says on the subject. As one of his constituents I expected him to assign a member of his staff to research the subject but he did nothing other than to express his ignorance of the constitution of Tennessee. Wouldn't you think someone on the senator's staff would be up on the contents of the Constitution of Tennessee? How does he vote without knowing? I then sent an email to The Mountain Press asking if they could research the subject as a service to their readers. I have not seen anything to respond to the question other than this editorial complaining about "a rigid block of opponents who simply will not be persuaded even in the face of statistics and logic. They oppose the tax for sometimes selfish and personal reasons that have little to do with the realities of the situation."

 

Neither The Mountain Press nor the School Board has responded to the April 17th letter-to-the-editor. Thus without assurance the money collected will go for the purpose intended I will vote No and encourage others to do the same.

 

The amount is not the issue. The issue missed so badly by The Mountain Press and overlooked by the School Board is the expectation that the voters will blindly take the word of the School Board and The Mountain Press. If they want my vote they will answer my questions.