Letter to the Editor

The Herald News published a Letter to the Editor I sent earlier this week. It was in response to the third letter on this page, which looked an awful lot like this press release from Representative Scott Garrett. Enjoy.

Scott Garrett and the 'family budget'

Reading "Garrett Steadfast on Taxes" (Letters to the Editor, May 18) seemed like something straight out of Rep. Scott Garrett's press room. Much of the spin reiterated by the author has been exposed as being overblown by many reputable reporters in this and other newspapers, including Herb Jackson and columnist David Broder.

Garrett may say he looks after the family budget, but his votes speak louder than his words.

With Garrett's vote against decreasing the interest rate on federal student loans, which he voted to raise a year ago, it seems working families with college kids are not of his concern. Garrett also voted against scholarships for children interested in studying science in college and grants for research professionals beginning their careers.

This eliminates families of those who perform the research and those whose manufacturing jobs are dependent on their findings.

In addition, Garrett voted against a U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed 10 year tax cut package for small business owners, followed by a vote against reforming and expanding Small Business Administration loans to help owners grow their businesses and create jobs, helping owner's families and those they employ.

These are just a few of Garrett's votes since January where the "family budget" was the central question. Garrett joined a small minority (between 2 and 6 percent) in voting no each time. It seems the only family budgets Garrett is concerned with closely resemble an A-Rod post-season hit: few and far between.

Matthew Fretz, Upper Saddle River