Tabloid Hit Piece on the County Mayor Refuted

Did you see the hit piece that the tabloid tried to put on the County Mayor on April 30, 2007.

Brian's Blog has recently reviewed the information presented by the tabloid reporter Larry Van Guider and here are the facts.

In the story it was reported that "Figures in the chart cover the period from June 30, 2004, until April 24, 2007" This would cover Fiscal Years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Certainly the reporter and tabloid wants you to believe that the County Mayor spent $523,857.00 tax payer dollars this year. That is not true. Individually, over four fiscal years the amount is $130,964.25

Now where did this money go?

Knox County Schools and Educational entities received $127,065.00 over 4 fiscal years is $31,766.25 per year. This is the equivalent of one beginning teacher position. However, it was spread out over the entire County and returned multiple dollars in results.

Youth Recreation Organizations received $84,350.00 over 4 fiscal years is $21,087.50 per year. Certainly promotion of a healthy lifestyle filled with exercise and interaction with your peers is part of a Great American Community.

The Boys and Girls Club received $5,900.00 over 4 fiscal years is $1,475.00 per year. Certainly the Boys and Girls Clubs have produced many great citizens in our community and have kept young men and women from getting into mischief and these dollars are beneficial for a greater community.

Boy Scout Troops received $2,400.00 over 4 fiscal years is $600.00 per year. Certainly, the Boy Scouts organization teaches our young men how to survive in this world, how to live as a responsible citizen and be productive team members within a group of your peers and within your family.

Certainly this hit piece in retrospect begs to question what problems does the tabloid have with Schools and Educational Entities, Youth Recreational Organizations, the Boys and Girls Club and the Boy Scouts of America?

This money is money well spent.

As for the remaining dollars that went to organizations like United Way, Child and Family, Disabled American Veterans it amounted to approximately $76,035 a year over the 4 fiscal years. Spread throughout Knox County it amounts to about $4,002 per Commission district.

This is your tax dollars coming back to serve you. It could fund another government bureaucrat with benefits instead it comes back to directly serve you within your community/neighborhood. This is government that is responsive to your needs and serves you.

It begs to question. What would the tabloid and its writer Larry Van Guider want to use your tax dollars for? A hand out for the tabloid newspaper in North Knox County?

No other media in Knoxville has touched this story because the casual observer can see that this is nothing more than an attempted tabloid hit.