Dear Editor: Please allow me to comment further on the very good letter written by Ms. Sara Matthews that was printed in your Friday, Jan. 29 edition.

Ms. Matthews could not understand why a large sum of tax dollars was given to a local chamber of commerce while the needs of children in foster care were not being met. It also appears to me that elected officials from Newton County and the city of Covington only recognize the affluent when it comes to giving away taxpayer’s money.

A front page story in The Covington News Wednesday, Feb. 3 edition stated that Covington may lower the utility rate for the commercial sector while raising the rate for the residential customers. Don’t these council people realize that a business can (and does) pass the cost of their utilities (as an expense) on to their customers? I would like to ask these council people who do they think the poor and elderly living in residences can pass their cost (or increase in cost) to?

Another news story stated that the Rainbow Homeless Shelter was having problems paying their utility bill of a few thousand dollars. Why doesn’t the city council give this homeless shelter the same benefits as those given to the more affluent YMCA? They lease this club over one city block of prime real estate for only $1 per year; and by doing this, they are probably foregoing millions in sales or rental revenue.

The homeless shelter keeps probably over 95 percent of the homeless off the streets in Newton County. This alone does more for the image of Newton County than any chamber, main street or any other entity receiving taxpayer dollars.

Newton County is taking tax dollars and spending mega bucks on parks and trails that will never be used and that practically no one asked for and will probably only breed crime.

"Rob not the poor, because he is poor" (Proverbs 22:22).