Richard Metcalf: Leaders should focus on NH’s opportunities, challenges

To The Daily Sun,

I presume that John Sellers’ recent letter to the editor “Defining local control” (Nov. 21) is a confused attempt to divert attention from his apparent support for state legislation overriding some local control of our school districts.

Mr. Sellers argues that if voters take any money from government, they lose local control, and “we can’t have it both ways.” He equates government funding with signing a mortgage with a bank. As an elected state representative, one would hope that Mr. Sellers would know the difference between public revenue (voter's money) governed by rules and protections set out by elected public officials versus private revenue (e.g., mortgage terms controlled by bankers) signed with a private institution. The “they” (government) he warns us against is him.

I wonder if Mr. Sellers will apply the same reasoning to those tapping into Education Freedom Accounts which under his watch will balloon to $113 million this biennium ($26.7 million over budget), while the share to low-income members of our community went from 37% to 19%.

Finally, I note that in the same letter, Mr. Sellers seems to take credit for ending the government shutdown, since he asked readers to call Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan urging them to do so.

Can’t we all hope that all our elected representatives will focus less on their own inflated self-importance and more on the opportunities and challenges facing our state?

Richard Metcalf

Bristol