Editor:

The purpose of this letter is to take issue with Brad Watson’s statements as quoted in the May 13 issue of your paper in an article titled “Chamber decries budget cuts.”

Watson made reference to cuts that the Prince Edward Board of Supervisors made to Southside Virginia Community College, the Longwood Small Business Development Center and his own Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Watson is listed as the vice chairman of the Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce. Apparently he does not care about folks out in the county and in town who are struggling to make ends meet and are having to make choices on whether to pay their taxes or feed their families.

My suggestion to Watson is for him to donate as much of his own or his company’s money to these organizations as he wishes but not increase the tax burden on the taxpayers of Prince Edward County in order to fund his pet projects.

This is the same man who has pressured the board of supervisors to provide additional funding and even assume the liability for a loan for the local YMCA.

It is my opinion that the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors should suspend all donations to all organizations except to local fire departments and rescue squads that provide services to all citizens.

Additional tax revenues are necessary to fund donations such as the ones Watson is seeking and, for some, this may mean an inability to pay their taxes. This could result in their property being confiscated and sold for delinquent taxes to fund his pet projects.

Sam Campbell

Pamplin