Dear Editor,

Kenneth Robinette would have you, and all the citizens of Richmond County believe that he and John Garner have “walked on economic waters” and “divined economic miracles” on Rockingham,and the Richmond County area since they have been in charge of the area for the last ten years.

They have done no such thing. Many factors caused the Progress Energy development to locate in Richmond County and falsely inflate the tax base.

Many people, yes, including me, worked to bring NASCAR back to our speedway.

Real Estate values have dropped 35% all across America in the past ten years, as reported in network news this week. Yet, property values in this county have mysteriously stayed the same. How can that be possible when so many homes are for sale and foreclosures listed several times a week in your very own publication.

Below is the actual economic health of Rockingham and Richmond County as reported by Policom Corporation whose business is compiling economic data for every region of America,and sorting them by population size.

In 2005 Rockingham ranked 291 in the nation in economic activity. In the last six years of leadership of this county by Robinette and Garner it has dropped to 496 in the national rankings. The numbers tell the truth of what Robinette and Garner have done to this area. Would you say their leadership is killing this county?

If you, or your family and friends are better off now than you were four years ago, then I urge you to vote for Robinette and Garner.

If you, or any friends or family members are out of work, under employed, and just given up on finding work, then I urge you to make a change. DO NOT mark the dot by Robinette and Garner’s names, and DO NOT vote a straight Democratic ticket.

If you do, you who vote are dooming your children, your grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to many more years of grinding poverty in this county.

Rockingham’s national economic ranking by Policom Corp in the last six years since Robinette and Garner have been running the county. The numbers are much worse from 2002 to 2011.

Rockingham, NC (McrSA) 496 478 465 426 347 294 291

Robinette will continue to plaster his ads all over this newspaper in order to persuade you to vote for him.

This newspaper has repeatedly shown in the past which side of the political fence it sits on. In the past ten years, and with various editors, this newspaper has published op-ed pieces by the editors and publisher which, in my opinion, bordered on yellow journalism.

From 291 in 2005 to 496 in 2011 IS NO PROGRESS. That is a DEPRESSION.

Thank you,

Jay Hudson

Rockingham