Sheri James twisted so many facts in her letter last week (Flat Tax) to make her liberal points and attack our business community that I feel compelled to set the record straight.

First, James brushes off the unified and vocal concerns of the business community over the town’s abrupt banning of most roadside directional and business signs as the actions of “frustrated” people “going through these trying times and…looking for someone to blame.” How elitist!

I witnessed businessperson after businessperson plead with the council to restore the signs because their businesses and town sales tax dollars were so reliant upon them. Were they frustrated? Yes. Not due to the times, but to the mayor and three council members who, with little public input, ended a reasonable sign policy that spanned decades and was recently improved by a committee of community-wide representatives.

James then wrote off concerns about the proliferation of drug rehab centers and sober-living homes as baseless. Apparently, James is not aware of the chaos they unleashed in communities such as Prescott. James needs to peek out of the “white-bread world” and recognize the need for vigilance to protect our town, assuming she does not welcome drug rehab centers and sober-living homes.

Sheri James then attacks the proposed state personal income tax cut that would create a fair flat tax of 2.5% for everyone and a tax cut for all. Ignoring the well-publicized legislative intention to hold cities and towns harmless from revenue losses, James unjustly and bizarrely accuses me, a tax-cut supporter, of defunding the police. I am a conservative Republican ex-cop. I’m pro-police. In addition, even if the town lost revenue, which it will not, I do not believe that even our liberal Democrat Mayor, Ginny Dickey, would cut police spending.