Let’s Fund Our Values

By: Cindy Williams

I recently learned that a Guilford County Commissioner plans to call a vote to spend $40k of our taxpayer money on placing the inscription of "In God We Trust" on several county buildings.  The Commissioner states that doing so would ensure the public knows Guilford County "values" at a time when traditional values are under attack.

I’m hopeful our Commissioners won’t be swayed by such an argument, as placing inscriptions on buildings is a far cry from actually serving people in need at a time when needs are so great, right?  Maybe a much better place to spend $40k would be in improving our public schools at a time when they are literally under attack by the Republican Party with book bans and moving taxpayer funding to religious schools who are able to discriminate in who they admit.  Guilford County is a community like most in this state and country - people with varied religious beliefs or no religious beliefs whatsoever, protected by a separation of Church and State in our Constitution, who are valuable, honest, hardworking, kind, generous citizens.  The kind of “values” that seem traditional in my book. The fact that this topic is going to take up time and possibly funding is hard to fathom.  I would ask each Commissioner to consider whether there isn't at least one other need more deserving of your time, attention, and our taxpayer dollars.