Tillis’ staff shouldn’t have gotten raises
Nathaniel Hammer’s Sept. 23 letter very clearly tells us why our local, state and federal governments are so corrupt. How could any elected official give a 27 percent pay raise to anyone and sleep at night? Please, Speaker Tillis, tell me it ain’t so. I’m sickened, disgusted and downright beside myself that you or any political figure would do that at this time or any time. This is not your money to spend as you please!
Now, if this chief of staff refuses to do his job for $120,000, then fire him and hire one of the thousands standing in the unemployment line. Please, those of us who might vote for Tillis, speaker of the N.C. House — get him out of office ASAP and do as I will: Write him and all other politicians in your area and express your outrage.
— Tom Bost
Mooresville
Question had already been answered
In response to Nathaniel Hammer’s letter to the editor (Sept. 23), it appeared Mr. Hammer arrived late to Speaker Thom Tillis’ Town Hall Meeting on Sept. 20. The question about Speaker Tillis’ raises for his staff had been asked and answered thoroughly earlier. Speaker Tillis stated both times that the staff was originally hired at a probationary salary, under-payed compared to equivalent staff for the Senate leader, the lieutenant governor and the governor. After the probationary period, he raised their salaries to be equivalent. In the beginning, Speaker Tillis had established that the Town Hall was to be a civil discourse of ideas, with respect for the differing ideas. There was even to be no applause to show support for specific ideas. Mr. Hammer’s tone quickly went beyond the civil tone that had been maintained during the Town Hall. I applaud Speaker Tillis’ handling of the Town Hall, including his effort to give a brief summary answer to a repeat question out of respect for those of us who had been in attendance for the full event. I appreciate Speaker Tillis’ setting and maintaining a civil tone which is greatly needed in political discourse and in life in general.
— Elaine Hewitt
Cleveland
Media isn’t reporting on Solyndra scandal
It’s a shame that the mainstream media (including the Salisbury Post) chooses to be biased toward the left and the current White House administration as exemplified by the total lack of any mention of the congressional hearings on Solyndra and its executives. By the way, each one took the Fifth. This is a huge scam perpetrated on the American public, and not one word from your paper. But you’re not alone — all the major media ignored it as well. The government-media complex is alive and well.
— Jess Leano
Albemarle