Real reporting is much appreciated
To the Editor:
My oh my, but Janet Presson, R.N., M.Ed., seemed intent on ripping Cory Vaillancourt a new one in her letter to the editor in the May 10 edition of The Smoky Mountain News . Presson, R.N., M.Ed., expressed doubts about Mr. Vaillancourt’s journalistic capabilities.
As a counter balance, it can be pointed out that in the April 5 issue in an article about a meeting of the Waynesville Board of Aldermen on the topic of affordable housing incentives, Mr. Vaillancourt reported that a citizen at the meeting declared that Waynesville’s taxes are some of the highest in the state. Mr. Vaillancourt did not just let that statement dangle in the ether; he presented facts that showed 57.04% of North Carolina municipalities have tax mates higher than Waynesville.
This is how journalism needs to be and is its purpose. Mr. Vaillancourt is to be admired for taking his job seriously. Beware of the citizen-expert. Well, beware of anyone who claims to be in expert, for they are the ones least likely to admit that they may be wrong.
Suzanne Hanning
Canton
