Friday, October 13, 2006
Does Matthew Hill Even Know How Government Works?
Here's a great letter to the editor from the Oct. 13 Johnson City Press:
Rep. Hill doesn’t understand how programs work
I noticed in a recent interview with former Washington County Sheriff Fred Phillips’ opponent, state Rep. Matthew Hill, said he brought back “hundreds of millions of dollars to Washington County for schools and various projects including roads. Tens of millions have been brought back for roads.”
Surely he’s not claiming credit for school and road money routinely budgeted by Gov. Phil Bredesen for local governments. Since he claims all these millions of dollars, he should be more specific and state project numbers and dates of issue. To be certain, a person might want to request that information from local government officials.
He also wants to eliminate the sales tax on food and make up the lost revenue from the $300 million surplus. Since the surplus is a onetime issue, what happens next year and the next year and so on? How do state and local governments replace that lost revenue?
He also states his first priority “is ending the driver’s certificate program. The program is being used as a tool to circumvent the law and is being given to illegals.”
Being familiar with the program, it is designed to issue a driving certificate, (not a license) to legal immigrants only. If an applicant cannot produce documentation, such as a work or student visa or passport, then his application is rejected and his name is submitted to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
It’s evident that Hill does not understand how the state’s budget process or driving certificate program works.
SAM M., Jonesborough
