Dear Editor,

After bouncing off the walls with hyperbole in a report to fiscal court the chairman of the Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership continued this pattern, as reported in the weekend edition of The Advocate-Messenger with the following: “EDP chair wants to destroy ‘myth’ of industrial foundation as secret ‘mafia.’”

Have y’all heard the myth? There’s a myth that Jody is in the Industrial Foundation’s pocket. He’s their puppet, and they are the secret mafia of this community, doing evil things. Have y’all heard that, I’ve heard it a lot. Hyperbole?

In fiscal court the chairman repeated a myth of the RKG Consultant that the EDP is the one thing they can get a return on their investment. Emphasizing lack of further investment could lead to higher taxes. Hyperbole?

I’d like to throw the chairman a rope of economic reality to help him out of the hole he’s digging himself into.

Government and our EDP create nothing. They both suck tax dollars to provide services of which some are needed. The fact is economic growth took place in Danville-Boyle County long before an organization like the EDP was created.

Yes, two members of the Boyle County Industrial Foundation (BCIF) board wrote letters. One to myself wanting a public apology for a letter I’d written and to a magistrate castigating him on his vote not to fund a request by the EDP. Some may consider such actions Mafioso type tactics but evil? Apparently in the “little world” of Danville, some think such actions of mediocre mentality carry weight but in the “Big World” it hits the ground and meanders. Why apologize for truth or fiscal responsibility? Perhaps there’s an element of evil we are not aware but if so, the EDP chair should enlightened us because it’s he who defines it as such.

Here are four reasons why the EDP and BCIF are not alike and why the EDP president is not in the back pocket of the Industrial Foundation.

• EDP president has served as president and CEO of both organizations.

• The EDP treasurer is also treasurer of the BCIF.

• The BCIF chairman said he considers the EDP and BCIF “one in the same.”

• The former COO of the EDP felt he had to clear certain meetings with the BCIF chairman.

Some patterns are so predictable it’s like watching a replay of our favorite team’s victory. We’re relaxed. We just push start. The outcome is assured.

Randy Gip Graham

Danville