Letters to the editor - Monday (2-9-2012)

Salisbury, crime capital of America? I don’t think so

I read the Post on a day-to-day basis on the Internet and enjoy the comments from fellow readers.

Lately, however, it appears many Salisburians believe this small city built on Food Lion, pharmacies, gas stations and local barbecue eateries is now riddled with crime and is just too dangerous to set foot out of your door after 5 p.m.

Did I miss something? Isn’t this Salisbury, N.C.? Is this not the town where we had a major hub-bub about a pair of underwear duct-taped to a window?

I’m flabbergasted that people could make these accusations because they read an article about a criminal act one person committed out of the thousands that inhabit the city.

This just in: crime happens. Never once have I ever felt scared to go out at night in any part of Rowan County, let alone Salisbury.

Are there areas in and around Salisbury that aren’t the greatest? Of course. God didn’t make the world perfect and that includes our humble little city.

If you're so worried about it, maybe I could shift your attention to Highland Park, Mich., where they recently had their street lights repossessed by the DTE Energy Co. Or you could look at Flint and Detroit, where violent crime is almost like breathing air.

It’s a shame people so blessed would let the news change their perception. A majority of the news is reported on an unhappy issue. If all you do is cluster yourself up inside and never actually go out and experience what’s really happening, then of course you’re going to be led to believe that.

I challenge the numerous people who make these statements to take the time and enjoy the city they’re lucky to live in.

And if you think I'm wrong then you can move. It is America, you know.

— Greg Hicks

Concord

Partisan power plays in N.C.

I had optimistically hoped that Speaker Thom Tillis would be an honorable leader, and although I might disagree with some of the policy positions coming out of the N.C. House, he would keep the religious right in his party somewhat in check and work toward aiding the N.C. economy with fair debate and focused policies. How wrong I was ... his shenanigans in the dark of night against N.C. teachers while having promised open government was reprehensible and greatly disappointing. His continued misrepresentation to straight-up lies when speaking about the impact of the anti-gay amendment is nothing but dishonorable. I expected more from a Charlotte-area representative.

The Rowan County representatives who support such actions, Rep. Fred Steen and Rep. Harry Warren, should also be ashamed if the participate in these anti-democratic antics. These partisan power plays show the N.C. Generaly Assembly is becoming as partisan and dysfunctional as Washington. These “party above good of the people” politicians must go. It is time for a change in Raleigh. Vote out these scoundrels next election.

— Rod Goins

Salisbury

NCAE should stop whining

I have one thing to ask the N.C. Association of Educators: Would they like a little cheese with that whine?

After reading the various editorials going after the Legislature for eliminating their automatic dues deductions, I suddenly understood why our schools are failing our children. Our teachers and their union leaders are in fact nothing more than children themselves. One writer condemned the late hour of the vote as being secretive, illegal, underhanded, etc. Who wants to bet the writer was totally A-OK when Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid used the same process to pass Obama Care? Can any of them please tell me how this is an insurmountable problem for the very best of our educators to solve?

I belong to several organizations and buy services for which I must pay dues and fees. Most allow for automatic on-line payments. Is there some reason that the NCAE can’t have a similar service? I will guess than many NCAE members use the State Employees Credit Union. Is there any way the SECU can set up an automatic payroll deduction for them to pay their dues? The NCEA is complaining that this is payback for their blind support of the Democrats. Maybe it is. So what? The NCEA has engaged in non-stop attacks on Republican politicians and their policies for decades. Democrats engage in paybacks that make this look like school yard name calling.

The NCAE and the teachers can hold their collective breath until they turn blue in the face and stamp their feet all they like. I doubt it will earn them any new supporters. So until the Democrats have control of both the legislative and executive branches I doubt very seriously the NCEA is going to go without their money and will come up with a solution.

— Hansel Bumgarner

Salisbury

Commissioners micromanage

I grow more and more frustrated with the state of politics nationwide, but mostly locally with our county commissioners.

State law is very specific — the Board of Education is the body responsible for decisions regarding school facilities and their location. Therefore, it is time for the commissioners to stop trying to make the decision about the school central office for them under the guise of concern about funding. They simply should vote the proposal up or down and move on! We elected the school board to make these decisions, and no matter what your opinion is regarding the location of the central office, they are tasked with that decision. They (the school board) have spent a lot of time studying the issue, and have made their decision. We, as voters, can make our voice heard on election day if we disagree. I also would recommend to the commissioners that if any of them feel compelled to meddle into the school board’s business, they should resign their position(s) and run for school board in the next election. This goes double for Mr. Sides and Mr. Ford, who took it on themselves to meet with Mr. Goodair about the Cornerstone property. I don’t care if they did this as private citizens — they are still commissioners and cannot hide this fact.

Rowan-Salisbury Schools needs a consolidated central office - and they need it NOW! It’s time our elected officials do the job we elected them to do and serve the citizens of this county effective and efficiently.

— Randy Overcash

Salisbury

Lease/buy is the best deal

I was at the commissioner’s meeting last Tuesday and heard Jim Sides state his position. The transcript in Thursday’s paper seems to me to cover what Mr. Sides said. He finished by saying “I believe we need to come to a decision about a Central Office for the school system.” Then he proposed to delay the decision a little longer by deferring any decision until the Commissioners had a work session or “summit” to discuss the issue some more.

Mr. Sides also talked about the new market tax credit, implying it was some sort of taxpayer handout. It is not a handout, it is a reduction, or tax credit, against federal taxes for companies which meet certain terms. It is no different than other available federal tax credits available to companies or individuals. I rather suspect that Mr. Sides takes advantage of any federal tax credits he qualifies for when he files his tax returns. I know I do. Why does he complain when others do what he does?

The fact is that this tax credit has criteria which apparently are only met by the Barwick proposal. If their lease/purchase deal is $2,000,000 less costly, and it is, why doesn’t he support it? (To the $1.5 million for the new market credit add $200,000 option fee and an additional $400,000 for 160 parking places the city has offered to build.) An analysis of building on either county or privately owned property highlights this $2 million savings. That is what makes a lease/buy project financially doable.

If Mr. Sides is serious about wanting the best financial deal available he should support the Lease/Buy proposal on the table. Why doesn’t he? Could it be that Mr. Sides is simply opposed to building in Salisbury, no matter what the savings are? The bottom line is that the bottom line on the lease/buy is $2 million less.

— Jack Burke

Salisbury

Christmas lights ideas

While reading the Salisbury Post’s “Darts and laurels” (“Deck the halls ... and streets”), a thought came to mind. Two weeks ago my wife and I were traveling through downtown Salisbury admiring the Christmas Lights.

We started talking about the lights that were downtown when we were kids. I am 60 years old and have very good memories of the old Christmas lights. My wife grew up in China Grove and mentioned that it was a big event to come to Salisbury to see the Christmas lights that were strung across each of the electric power poles, with the big bell on the square. We talked about the end of those lights when lighter metal poles were updated years ago. I had a thought as I was reading the above mentioned story. With today’s lighter weight Christmas lights (LED) it would be nice if we could design a Christmas lighting system that could cross the streets and and even have a bell on the square again. I am not an electical engineer and do not know if it would be practical or even costwise feasible, but it was just a thought that came to mind. I have a friend who is asking (on Facebook) if anyone has a color picture of the old Christmas lights from our youth in downtown Salisbury.

That being said, if we are unable to go back in time to the old lighting system, I then applaud the reuse and preserving of the present lighting system, there are many that love these lights and want to see them on diplay year after year just as we did when we were younger in the 1950s and 1960s. Maybe we can avoid being a part of a “throw away society.”

— Charlie King

Salisbury