A person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill; a fraud.
A week or so ago, my 2022 commission opponent, Lenoir City councilman/LCUB board member, Eddie Simpson, sent out his bulk mailer to folks in the 2nd, 6th and 5th districts.
There's a lot to unpack here. Let's look point by point.
Qualifications
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Passion For Government: I think this is a fact. He has made a fortune from the county and city tax payers and LCUB rate payers.
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Business Experience For Over Forty Years: According to some of his previous business associates, it wasn't a good experience. More on that later.
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Understands Budgets: In ten years, the Lenoir City budget expenditures have gone up 32%+ or 3.7 million dollars. Understanding budgets must mean increasing budgets.
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Independent Thinker: For more than seven years, Simpson has never voted against anything Mayor Aikens wanted.
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Proven Trustworthiness And Ability: He may have forgotten about the "Water Issue" and several other antics in the past. More on that later.
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Very Conservative: When you vote for multiple property tax increases, Rain Tax, sales tax and gas tax increases, you've pretty much given up all your conservative credentials.
Accomplishments
Traffic lights at Sugarlimb, Shaw Ferry and Ford Roads were all state projects, managed, paid for and constructed by TDOT. In fact, the project at Shaw Ferry Road and Hwy. 11 was already bid out and under construction before Simpson ever took the road superintendent job.
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Simpson Road Improvements: This was not a county project and took seven years to complete.
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Town Creek, Old Midway, White Wing and Old 95: As a well paid highway superintendent, seems Simpson looks to take credit for doing what a highway superintendent is suppose to do, pave roads.
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Positive Thinker: Not even sure what that means.
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Some Controlled Growth Is Necessary: Simpson's definition of "Controlled Growth" may be different than most folks. In the last three years, Simpson has voted for more than a thousand new single and multi-family units to locate in the city, many, low to moderate income, government subsidized apartments, many with huge property tax breaks.
So, Simpson's flyer wants to take credit for a lot of things he hasn't done, but takes no credit for the things he has done. Why not just be honest.
Obviously, Simpson really likes raising taxes.
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Why not just tell voters the truth on why he thinks higher property taxes are good?
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Why not just tell voters the truth that he voted for and supported the Rain Tax on every residence, business, church, school and non-profit in the city and explain to them why that's good for them.
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Why not just tell voters the truth that he voted for higher sales taxes and gas taxes and explain to them why that's good for them.
If a politician believes as strongly in raising taxes as Simpson obviously does, why not just be truthful and convince the voters how great it is to pay higher and higher taxes?
Why not just tell voters that he believes in mass, uncontrolled residential development with no consideration to the impact this will have on the city and county schools, services and roads.
When a politician has to make up accomplishments, hide from his voting record and take credit for accomplishments he doesn't have, there's a problem.
It will be my job and others concerned with the county's future, to make sure the voters know the truth of Mr. Simpson's long, long tax and development voting record.
We can't let let Lenoir City politics take over Loudon County.
Definition of a charlatan: