Letter: What kind of governor is this?

In looking over issues that the governor supports and bills that he vetoed, patterns emerge and questions arise.

What kind of governor makes one of his highest priorities a school voucher program that (if it had passed) would have diverted 100 million taxpayer dollars from public schools to pay for scholarships to unaccountable private, mostly religious schools?

What kind of governor appoints a commissioner of education with no experience in public education? A commissioner who has spent his tenure pushing privatization schemes that would undermine public schools, while failing to address the funding crisis that’s led some districts to stop offering language, gym, music and even science classes?

What kind of governor vetoes an independent redistricting commission that would end gerrymandering and lead to fairer elections? His veto message states that “legislators should not abrogate their responsibility to the voters and delegate authority to an unelected and unaccountable commission.” In fact, the bill authorized the independent commission to only make recommendations, leaving sole responsibility for redistricting with the Legislature. Who misconstrues such a simple concept?

Who would veto a raft of bills designed to reduce carbon emissions and increase clean energy in the face of a looming climate crisis?

Or veto the repeal of the death penalty that gained broad bipartisan support in both the House and Senate?

What kind of governor is this? This is a governor who does not support public education, fair elections, cleaner energy or bipartisanship. Pretty simple.

MAUREEN PROHL

Elkins