By Thomas Warren III, Editor-in-Chief

Do celebrity endorsements really matter? Apparently the Amarillo establishment thinks so.

In a new social media spot released by Build Amarillo PAC, which is campaigning in favor of the $275 million downtown projects bond, Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider calls upon Amarillo voters to support Proposition A on the November 3 ballot, making mention that the item would fund some renovations to the Amarillo Civic Center Complex.

“I’m excited that you guys are putting to vote building a new civic center,” Schneider says in the video. “I think that’s gonna be great and I hope that it passes because that will bring all kinds of new people into your community.”

Thanks, but no thanks, Bo Duke.

In all seriousness, celebrity endorsements do not seem to matter much in a regular election and should matter even less in a municipal bond election. Schneider will not be paying off the debt associated with the bond issue if it passes and will not be carrying the growing tax burden placed upon Amarillo taxpayers by our local tax authorities.

If Proposition A passes, your taxes would go up approximately $130.82 for a home valued at $100,000. That is a steep increase, especially during a recession. While celebrities talking about our hometown is nice, what matters more is fostering an economic climate where families and businesses can thrive, and raising taxes is not the way to get there.

So, while I appreciate Schneider’s enthusiasm for his work as a musician, I would encourage Amarillo voters to ignore endorsements by celebrities and focus on the economic issues of this election, because those actually matter to local taxpayers.

Ask yourself, regardless of what the celebrities might say, can we really afford this debt and this tax increase right now? I think the answer is clear. Demand accountability at City Hall and vote against Proposition A on November 3.