Shelby County Board Chairman David Pickler has scheduled four more meetings to spread his myths about single source funding of public education.
His fear offensive is being seen by many people outside Memphis for what it is – disingenuous, misleading and one-sided. Seldom have been numbers mangled as much or facts warped as cleverly as Mr. Pickler has done in his presentation.
Meanwhile, a reader emailed us to suggest that Memphians – who pay twice for schools while every one else in Shelby County pays once – should show up at these dog and pony shows on September 21 at Bartlett High School; September 22 at Millington High School; September 29 at Southwind High School; and October 5 at Arlington High School.
After all, Memphians pay roughly 65 percent of the costs of county schools, and Mr. Pickler should have to answer questions from the people who pay most of his bills.
Here’s some of ours:
1) What is fair about Memphians paying twice for public schools if no one else does?
2) Why shouldn’t public education be funded the same way through the entire county – from the largest tax base, county government’s?
3) Why is it that you are always the one who finds impossible to be a collaborative partner in any effort to improve our community?
4) Why do you portray this as a “we versus them” issue when all of us are county taxpayers and we all should be treated the same by county government?
5) Why is it wrong for Memphians to ask to be treated just like “county” residents?
6) Can you spell “fairness?”
