Wednesday, July 24, 2002

The Mike Wheat Campaign Committee recently introduced us to "the Attack Meter." However, it seems to me that what this campaign really needs is a "Truth Meter."

So for the next few weeks, I plan to publish the "Truth Meter" which will evaluate Mr. Wheat's allegations against Greg Dunn and the current county commissioners. If the allegation is true, it will get a 1; if half true, a one-half; and if false, a zero.

With this in mind, let's look at three of Mr. Wheat's recent charges against Greg Dunn.

Charge No. 1: This implies that the current county commissioners created a pay system which has resulted in them being overpaid and guarantees annual pay increases.

Fact: The pay system was in effect before the current commissioners took office. If fact, their pay is set by the state legislature. Also, I understand that a state legislator who is now seeking to change the pay system helped grease the skids to implement the plan several years ago. So the Wheat Campaign gets a "0" on this one.

Charge No. 2: Mr. Wheat says that the land use plan has not been updated.

Fact: The current county commissioners have reviewed the plan and updated it in each of the last four years. Again, the "Truth Meter" registers a "0".

Charge No. 3: In last week's "Win-Win" article, the Wheat campaign staff implies that legal dispute between the cities and Fayette County has somehow caused 800 people to lose their jobs in the past year and also resulted in 1,000 people filing for unemployment benefits.

Fact: I think the writer evidently slept through Sept. 11, the near collapse of the stock market, and the fact that the airline industry was especially hard hit. To imply that our county commissioners, in any way, contributed to folks losing their jobs hardly merits a response, but it does deserve a "0" on the "Truth Meter."

Next week, we'll take a further look at various Wheat allegations. (Confirmation on the facts in items one and two are available in the county office.)

A "Truth Meter" really does seem more important than an attack meter and it tells us more about the real tone of the campaign.

Darrell McKinney

Fayetteville

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