Good morning Uncle Henry,
Love your show; sorry that you did not receive you Press-Register yesterday, Oct. 5, 2011.
I assume, therefore, that you may have missed the headline on page 6A: "Baldwin County rejects $75,000 federal grant," (along with another $200,000 of in-kind services) to fund the "Safe Routes to School" project, which was promoted by a non-profit group calling itself, "Smart Coast." This project literally sounds like the "nanny state" on steroids. $60,000 would have gone to pay the salaries of three "Smart Coast" workers to organize the effort to set up a network of volunteers to help walk the children to school (and to combat childhood obesity). And we wonder why our country is trillions of dollars in debt. Promoters of the project were quoted as saying that this was a "sad day," and that they would "go back to the drawing board." If possible, please encourage your Baldwin County listeners (who, like you, may have missed this item) to thank Commissioners Frank Burt, Jr. and Bob James for voting down this project. A copy of my personal e-mail to thank them is attached below.
Tom H.
Subject: Rejection of Smart Coast $75,000 federal grant for "Safe Routes to Schools" program
Honorable Frank Burt, Jr.
Chairman, Baldwin County Commission
Dear Mr. Burt,
It was certainly a pleasure speaking with you this evening, and I appreciate your taking my call at such a late hour.
As I mentioned on the phone, I was calling you both as a constituent and as a member of the "UN Agenda 21 Committee" of the Common Sense Campaign Tea Party. I want to thank and congratulate you and Commissioner Bob James for your courageous votes yesterday turning down the $75,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation regarding the "Safe Routes to Schools" program promoted by the "Smart Coast" organization, and for identifying programs such as this to be part of what is "destroying our nation."
I am sure that you and Commissioner Bob James were subjected to significant pressure to go along with this program. It mentioned in today's Press-Register that "Smart Coast" had "worked for years to secure money to build sidewalks to encourage walking to combat childhood obesity"; and that under the proposal, "a network of background-checked volunteers would help escort children to school along safe routes." Also, that the "money would have gone to pay for education and training as well as $60,000 for three Smart Coast workers to help organize the effort." And finally, organizers said that "in addition to the federal funding ... the project included some $200,000 of in-kind services." Baldwin County, of course, would be responsible for seeing that the money was properly spent by "Smart Coast." It all sounds sooo wonderful; as if there were no federal strings attached.
I appreciate what you have done, and I look forward to speaking with you again soon.
Tom H
