Questions Answered I Was Never Asked: Would you accept federal grants, even If there were strings attached?

As part of my goal to provide voters in Peachtree Corners as much information about me as possible, I have undertaken an effort to answer every question that has been asked during the candidate forums. Since I feel its hard to make an assessment on solely on the three questions we were asked in our debate, I'm answering everything I can. And I must say that I don't think any other question in the three days I was there fired me up quite like this one. This is not just based on the question, but how the candidates answered it, equivocating before saying yes, they would, its basically "free money", and it kind of depends on if strings were attached.

My friends, let me let you in on a little secret: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FEDERAL GRANT WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED (well, maybe that isn't true if we said Peachtree Corners was a "green energy company" but that's a debate for another day). Every federal grant comes with VERY SPECIFIC conditions that must be followed to receive that money. This is the reason that Atlanta teachers were caught changing test scores, to keep federal money coming in. This is the reason the high speed railroad boondoggle California is building is going to start with the very popular Fresno-Bakersfield route, to keep the federal money coming in. When you take federal money, you sell your soul to the federal government.

That's bad enough but what is even worse is that, just three months ago, we voted to become a city for reasons of "local control" and "self-government". And, less than three months later, we had candidates for our city council, one of whom will be elected, that said they would be happy to take federal money. I couldn't have been more disappointed at that moment and more fearful for the future of our city.

As someone that not only voted for the city, but helped with communications for it, I actually meant it when I said I wanted more local control and self-government. If it were up to me, there would be all kinds of federal mandates I'd love to opt out of and be able to do ourselves. But I'll take the local control I can get. So it is pretty disheartening to see people, before we have even had a city council sworn in, with their hands out, begging at the federal till.

This country is $16 trillion in debt because everyone sees their problems as important and a federal concern and therefore, a solution is federal funding. Well that funding doesn't come from some federal stash somewhere, it comes out of your pocket and mine. And the idea that its better that the money is spent here than somewhere else sounds good, if it were a limited pool of money. But, the truth is, that money is spent here AND somewhere else, and then government just takes more out of our paycheck.

I will not take one cent of federal money unless its to improve federal property within the city. In fact, except for state roads that pass through our city, I'm not interested in state money either. If we can't afford it, we shouldn't do it, period. That's how I run my home, that's how I run my business, and that is how I will serve the city if elected.

Just remember, just because the federal government is paying for it in the short-term doesn't mean we won't be paying for it in the long-term, with interest.  We have the good fortune to start off with a clean slate, no long-term debt, no reliance on outside money. We have a chance to have a city without having to rely on handouts and bailouts to keep us solvent. I'm running to serve in our city council to keep it that way.

On March 6, choose the candidate with a specific plan for the city. Choose the candidate that wants to leave you alone. And choose the candidate that won't give up "local control" and "self-governance" for federal dollars. On March 6, choose Scott.

Scott Ehrlich

Candidate, Peachtree Corners City Council

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scott@choosescott.com

www.choosescott.com