Quote Originally Posted by BDP View Post
It also doesn't help that it's just dishonest.

State funds don't pay for programming. So, whatever it is that offends opponents of OETA (and I don't think it's clear exactly what that is) and public broadcasting is not being paid for with tax payer money.

In general, state funds go to support the infrastructure. According to OETA's FAQ, it is responsible for maintaining the "state’s infrastructure for the PBS Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN) system, which provides a path between the Federal Emergency Management Agency and cellular service providers to relay important emergency information statewide via cellular networks."

So, in effect, Stitt's veto was really to defund OETA's ability to maintain important public emergency communications infrastructure, without designating and funding another group to do it. They knows all of this, and count on voters not to.
This is really the problem with defunding. I like a lot of the programming on the OETA channels, I wish the sub-channels had better quality. Whenever we have the TV on, it is turned toan OETA channel. Now, our family does not agree with everyone's lifestyle, but we simply turn the channel or turn the tv off when we don't agree with the topics in the programming. But I would never use my personal feelings about the programs to veto funding for it. Just because I don't find it beneficial to me, does not mean another tax payer likes the program in question.