18 - Tight Budget (Old)

#18

Governor State of North Carolina
Hon. Mike Easley,

RE: Enclosed N&O article about wife's trip at taxpayer expense
http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1126322.html

Dear Sir,

The attached news article is an insult to me as well it should be an insult to the hard working taxpayers of this state and an embarrassment to you.

I was born and reared in poverty on a tobacco farm in Wayne County. I attended twelve years of school in a small rural school and graduated with 13 in my graduating class. The county school superintendent was insistent that I go to collegeand I entered UNC-CH in 1948 and worked my way through the university, then worked my way, through 4 years at the University of Memphis, where I received my degree, immediately receiving my commission as a medical officer, returning to eastern NC, partially blind, now, for over forty years, 100% disabled, totally blind veteran of the Korean conflict. Yet, I have continued to work, pay taxes, and at the age of 78, just paid $5000.00 taxes to the state last month in my quarterly response. I went through the university without scholarship. I have never used your parks, your public buildings, or jails, and one time, in all these years, someone from the State Commission for the Blind contacted me. The VA spent $8000.00 to put a security system in my house, since the state is crime ridden, and I live alone and take care of myself totally and according to federal regulations, the appraisal on my house should have been reduced by $8000.00, but immediately the local tax people raised the appraisal by 30000.00.

I could recite, at length, many other examples of the way handicapped citizens are treated in this state but I have found, that over the years, that no one really cares. They just want the handicapped, like every other citizen to keep working so you and your wife can enjoy great vacations forever.
As a very young person, perhaps because my family had historical roots to Morristown, NJ and because my grandfather sat in the same school room with Governor Aycock, I had an early interest in politics. State Senator Hardy Talton would invite me from Chapel Hill when the legislature still met in the Capital, to watch the democrats in action. Such as 'cousin' Waylon Spruill handing out funds. I was there, in uniform, when the new legislative building in all its red carpet splendor was opened. I was the blind Army officer who almost knocked himself out on the glass doors at the front. I remember a news reporter asking me what I thought about the new building as well the U.N. building since I had given my all for my country. I answered that it remained to be seen. We both know the answer.

The world as well as this state and this county is turned upside down and inside out because if things are going to change, the corruption and the source of the problems must be addressed from the inside. I told many patients, as a young practitioner that they could rub all the vitamin creams they could on their body and it would change their appearance in no way. Change must come from the inside. Have you not learned yet, that new or better buildings do not improve learning, or liberty. Articles such as this one in the News & Observer only prove to young families and those who are trying to meet their daily financial needs and pay their exorbitant taxes that Government and morality and integrity is just a pretension. Charlton Heston, before he died, said he was a great actor because he was a great pretender. I may not be right but I want my church, my government, my country to be right. Is it all just a matter of pretending?

Most sincerely,
Dr. Thomas R. Morris