LTE: Education Cuts

Dear Editor
Asheville Daily Planet

Here we go again with the parade of lies on the campaign trail. First from Senator Kay Hagan and now from Brian Turner, Representative TimMoffitt's opponent in his re-election bid from District 116. They both have said in campaign ads that the North Carolina General Assembly "cut $500 million from public education."

That's simply untrue. The Washington Post knows it. They gave that canard two “Pinocchios.” FactCheck.org and PolitiFact.com know it. They flat out debunked the oft-repeated falsehood on their websites too. Even WLOS-TV has finally had enough. They recently broadcast a story that set the record straight. In his report, anchor Frank Fraboni said, “For viewers and voters, the deception is disturbing.” (http://goo.gl/GqRAfw)

SarahCurry of the John Locke Foundation pulled the relevant numbers from the state Fiscal Research Division and determined that the legislature actually increased spending on public education this year by $302 million*. In fact, over the last four years, education spending increased by nearly a billion dollars. What's more, in the final two years of Democrat control, $610 million were cut from public education.

So, there you have it: the current General Assembly did NOT "cut $500 million from public education."

TIM PECK
ASHEVILLE

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RELATED

The Pete Kaliner Show, Oct 2, 5:0p, "$500 million lie."

LTE: Water Merger

Regional authority needed for accountability to users

Dear Editor,

I recently read that Asheville city council is gearing up for another rate increase for water customers in the region (“Asheville considering water rate increases,” March 25, 2014). But some water customers don't live in Asheville. Roughly half of these regional water system customers live in Buncombe County, outside the city. And yet, it is seven people sitting on city council who are in charge of water system policy for the region and they alone are making important decisions which will affect many people who are not their constituents.

If customers outside the city were to have input regarding unreasonable rates, poor service or quality, or matters of future development, where would they turn? They are without representation on Asheville's city council and could not express their point of view by voting in city elections.

To ensure accountability to all water system ratepayers, we need broader representation by a locally-appointed board in a regional authority. It is long past time that these disenfranchised customers outside the city were given a seat at the table and a sure way to voice their concerns to their appointed representative.

TIM PECK
ASHEVILLE

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