TO THE EDITOR:
According to the June 16 edition of the Southern Standard, Republican state Rep. Paul Sherrell states that the reason the Tennessee legislature refused, again, to fund the Driver Testing Center was in retaliation for the three Republican legislators from this area (Bowling, Matheny, and Sherrell) opposing the Haslam administration's gas tax increase/ sales tax reduction bill. 
That reasoning does not hold water for at least two reasons. First, two years ago when there was NO gas tax legislation being proposed in the legislature, the legislative leaders and Gov. Haslam eliminated the funding for the Driver Testing Center. 
Secondly, if Sherrell's reasoning is to be believed, then Driver Testing Centers represented by other legislators who voted no on the gas tax increase/ sales tax reduction legislation would be closing around the state in retaliation. Not happening.
Perhaps the real reason is that Bowling, Sherrell, and Matheny actually don't have much clout with the Republican leadership in Nashville.
Our three legislators voting no on the gas tax increase reminds me of something that is bound to happen in the future.  When there are ribbon cutting ceremonies for road/ bridge projects funded by the gas tax legislation, our three legislators will be in the front row grinning from ear to ear, taking credit for something they opposed!

Lee Campbell
Shadowlawn Street
McMinnville