WHOPPER – To the Lying Fly: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Usually, a Whooper column is written to expose a story or column that distorts information or presents a misleading narrative. Today, we shine the light of truth on a piece that does all of that PLUS it includes some utter stinkin’ indefensible flat out lies.

The article in question appears in San Jose Inside’s column, The Fly (1/27/16). Its title is, “County Funds Sales Tax Poll to Support Labor Council Agenda.”

After describing the poll that the county is considering, The Fly goes on to say, “South Bay Labor Council (SBLC) chief Ben Field had EMC (that’s the pollster) ask voters the same question last year, yielding less-than-favorable results.” In a single sentence, The Fly manages a double lie. First, the County poll asks voters in detail about a general tax and a general tax combined with an advisory vote. The SBLC poll included neither of these. Second, the SBLC poll generated astoundingly favorable results that suggested a special tax would pass, possibly with votes to spare.

Now, I want to give the folks at The Fly a chance to clear their name. So here’s my proposal. We’ll find some third party who everyone trusts and let them see the SBLC poll. If the poll includes the same questions as the county poll (that is – it tests a special tax, a general tax, and a combined tax), and if it produced results unfavorable to the SBLC, I’ll donate $1,000 to the charity of The Fly’s choice.  If the poll did not include the same questions, and it produced favorable results, The Fly Staff donates $1,000 to the non-profit of my choice. But in the spirit of full disclosure, my charity will be the VMC Foundation, which helps provide health care to low-income people of color. That’s a choice The Fly may not be able to stomach.

By the way, this article is full of other whopper-type distortions.

It implies that a $64 million program will shelter 6000 homeless. That amount would allocate about $10,700 per homeless person. What kind of shelter can you get in Santa Clara County for eleven thousand dollars?

Finally, it argues that the 1/8 cent sales tax for county services adopted in 2012 generated more money than the County needed. The genesis for this bizarre and misleading claim is that the Board of Supervisors allowed community groups to compete for $9.6 million of the first year’s tax proceeds. The Fly somehow neglects to mention that non-profits submitted proposals for projects costing tens of millions of dollars beyond the available $9.6 million. Almost all of these were for credible programs dealing with human needs ranging from senior services to diabetes prevention. The only way to argue the Measure A funds weren’t needed is if you believe life and death, and suffering and well-being, are all equivalent outcomes.

Total Views: 437 ,


Do you have a news tip you would like to share? Would you like to contribute to The Left Hook? Email us at LeftHookBlog@gmail.com

No Comments

Leave a Comment

Follow

Get every new post on this blog delivered to your Inbox.

Join other followers: