An open response to Larry Britt on Al Klemm's betrayal of conservative government in Beaufort County | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This article originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

   We received the following from Larry Britt, former chair of the Beaufort Republican Party and past-candidate for County Commissioner:

    Why are people so upset with Al Klemm. He voted for Jerry Langley for Chairman just like Hood Richardson did the last two elections. The Observer didn't do any stories on that. One of those votes was in exchange for votes to get Stan elected to Vice-Chair. Why is it wrong for Al Klemm to vote for Democratt (sic) but it isn't wrong for Hood Richardson to vote for the same Democrat? Could the Observer be a little bias (sic)? Maybe they should tell the public the whole story. I'm anxious to hear the Observers justification. - Larry Britt

    Here's our open response Mr. Britt:

    First, we're not upset, although we realize a lot of people are. Rather, we are reporting what we view to be a major story...that Al Klemm continues to betray the people in Beaufort County who believe in Republican principles. We believe we have a duty to expose Klemm's betrayal of those principles.

    The point is: Al (and you) claim to be conservatives. But rather than stand on principles, Al votes liberal on nearly every major vote put before him. He is, in our judgment, the worst kind of politician...he says one thing and does the opposite.

    Second, it is not a matter of the person who is chairman. The issue, for us, is the principles upon which the county will be governed. Al Klemm and Jay McRoy have voted with the liberal bloc on the board over and over again. In doing so they have squandered millions of dollars since 2004 and depleted our fund balance even while raising taxes. This means that taxes will have to be raised even higher if a new jail is built.

    But we now have a new board. With Jay gone there was a practical possibility that the presiding power on the board (leadership) could have been shifted to a conservative, thanks to Gary Brinn's election/vote. Gary's election changes things immensely. Or rather, it could change the "tax and spend" mentality of the last eight years if Al Klemm were to vote conservative.

    Hood Richardson is not the issue, although we understand your penchant to try to demonize Hood every chance you get to distract from the real issue--having a fiscally responsible commission. Hood exposes the liberal hypocrisy of liberal RINO's and we realize you can't stand that. But Hood is not the issue here.

    We find it informative that you view the vote--and our criticism of Al's role in it--as a personal issue (Hood). That says volumes. The simple fact is that you did not see the obvious: With McRoy gone there was the possibility that control of the board could be changed from liberal to conservative and would have been but for Al Klemm. You apparently missed our first sentence in the article.

    Al is now responsible for the leadership direction this board will take as long as he continues to vote with the liberal Democrats. Your myopic view (anything Hood is for you are against) perfectly illustrates the problem.

    The problem is a tax and spend mentality that has bankrupted this county and imposed higher taxes on hard working people when many are struggling just to make ends meet and that mentality has handicapped struggling small businesses. It is a way of governing that fails to provide even minimal oversight-- witness the loss of the hospital and the debacle that is the EDC. In other words, the problem is a liberal governing mentality.

    But that could have been changed...but for Al Klemm. He will be held accountable for what happens going forward and we already see where that will lead. The jail will be moved out of Washington and more debt will be imposed on the people of this county. But the shame of that is that if the Gang of Five had not wasted millions building new schools where there are too few students, squandering millions on failed economic development nonsense and giving away the most valuable asset the county owned with a no-bid charade on the hospital etc. etc. we would have enough fund balance/money in the bank to solve the jail problem.

    But, again, all of that could have been changed, and could still be changed, if Al Klemm had voted according to honest Republican principles--fiscal responsibility and adequate oversight.

    Are we biased about that? You bet we are. Our bias is a strong belief that Beaufort County needs solid, effective conservative governance.

    As for partisan politics, let us say this: The Democrats on this board have bankrupted this county and put a huge unnecessary tax burden on people who are hurting financially. In doing so they have hurt struggling businesses that can't provide the jobs the county needs. The liberal mentality of this board has done immense damage to our county. The damage is truly immense, and it was all because of Jay McRoy and Al Klemm voting to give the Democrats a blank check to do so.

    But Gary Brinn's election, if indeed he adheres to the principles upon which he campaigned, would change that. For the first time in our lifetimes, but were it not for Al Klemm, we would have been able to give the people of this county conservative, fiscally responsible leadership. We could have, as Gary says: stopped the nonsense. Instead, because of Al, we will get even more nonsense. With bars on it.

    It baffles us that any honest Republican would not see that if the Republicans on this board were to work together, to show what conservative principles can do in government, that we could do in Beaufort County exactly what needs to be done in the "other" Washington. We find it amazing that anyone would not see the choice Gary Brinn's election offers this county. That choice is the difference between a county governed responsibly by conservative Republican principles or the irresponsible tax and spend mentality of Democrats. That's the partisan part of the problem.

    Al Klemm, for two more years, will hold the key to whether this county pulls itself out of the mess we are in or whether we simply dump more fiscal burden on the hard working people and struggling businesses in this county. And you can count on us reporting that story.

    It all comes down to this Larry: Will conservatism save this county or will we go down the liberal Democrat tubes?

    You have argued consistently for compromise with the liberals on this board. No! That is absolutely not what this county needs. Rather, what it desperately needs is a change in the governing mentality from liberal to conservative. That is the hope the Republican Party offers not only Beaufort County but our state and nation. We are in the mess we are in simply because of this liberal governance. We have a chance to save this county with conservative governance. But for two years, that will depend on Al Klemm. After that it will depend on the voters.

    The choice Larry, is not who Hood Richardson voted for as chairman. Rather the choice is between conservative principles or liberal ruin.

    Click here if you would like to read all articles associated with Al Klemm's political transgression.

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