Commission tackles big-picture issues
I am responding to John Casey’s “business” column, which was published on Dec. 30. Mr. Casey implied that the County Commission has done little to focus on big picture issues this past year. I would like to offer a different perspective.
Open government is a worthy objective. In order to involve more citizens, the County Commission upgraded its meeting room and now televises meetings (local cable). For those citizens who prefer to watch at their computer, meetings are available on the county Website (www.rowancountync.gov). Another plus for open government came when the county manager’s contract was negotiated in open session ó something seldom attempted anywhere.
Many new construction projects were implemented to help move our county forward. For example, new courtrooms and jail space are currently under construction to help with overcrowding. A new ambulance station located in Salisbury was approved and is under construction to help with emergency response times. The county opened Shive Elementary School by adding $6 million in tax dollars to the 2002 school bond. As an enticement to new business, a master plan is being developed for the county airport and property has been purchased to extend the runway. Plans are under way to relocate and expand the social services department to be able to more effectively meet the needs of those who require specialized help.
Land-use planning has been started in the western half of the county with the strong involvement of a citizen committee. This is an on-going effort with the eastern half to follow.
There are numerous other big issues that the County Commission tackled including the ban of alcohol on county property, business incentives and dealing with change at the fairgrounds.
I stand by the accomplishments made through the hard work of the current County Commission and look forward to a promising 2008.
ó Tina Hall
Mt. Ulla
Tina Hall serves on the Rowan County Board of Commissioners.
Economy depends on big corporations
Regarding David Candler’s Jan. 3 letter:
While I concur that raising any tax is a bad thing, there are several things in his letter which belie a lack of understanding of what makes this country work. For instance, he seems to be forgetting that the minimum wage was not intended as a living wage but as a starting wage for teen-agers who have free room and board and no mouths to feed, from which they could gain expe rience and work their way up. He also makes the assumption that it takes no work or knowledge or experience to run a large corporation, as if leaders of these companies are selected at the local bus stop. If he or any of us were under the pressure CEOs are under to make a huge company work, we’d fold like a house of cards.
Mr. Candler, if the companies are driven into extinction by even higher taxes (the minority of “rich” already pay over 60 percent of this country’s taxes, leaving the rest to be divided between the middle and lower class), who will pay the working man’s wage? Will he really be better off unemployed?
The problem isn’t going to be solved by summarily executing corporations. There must be people willing to work, learn and get experience instead of staying in minimum wage jobs and complaining that the pay is lousy.
ó David Wilson
Salisbury
Incident wasn’t reason to cheerI had the pleasure of attending the Sam Moir Basketball Tournament on Friday night to support the No. 1 seed, East Rowan boys, who were playing the No. 5 seed Salisbury team. The previous game had been between the No. 1 seed Salisbury girls and South Rowan. As many of you may know and understand, the team that is the higher seed is always on the home side of the court. So during the girls game, Salisbury took the home side, where their cheerleaders had been sitting, cheering on their team, along with their principal, Dr. Windsor Eagle.
After the girls game, I witnessed the most stubborn act of unsportsmanlike conduct I have ever seen. The East Rowan cheerleaders came down to take their seats on the home side and were told by Dr. Eagle that his girls were not moving.
Even after the gentleman running the tournament from Catawba College explained to Dr. Eagle that his cheerleaders needed to move to the other side, they did not budge. The two cheerleader squads sat side by side for the game. What an act of unsportsmanlike conduct.
ó A.B. Taylor
Salisbury
It isn’t that difficult to learn English
I read with interest about the first baby born in Rowan County for 2008. First, let me say congratulations to the family. Next, it just behooves me to note that this mother has a 3-year-old daughter born at Rowan Regional Hospital and needed an interpreter because she speaks little English. What has she been doing for those three years?
Come on, people. I lived in Italy for three years when my dad was stationed with the U.S. Navy in Naples. I spoke Italian after the first six months, and so did all my family. Why? Because we wanted to, and we respected the fact that we lived in their country and they spoke Italian, not English. No wonder most Americans are fed up with this.
Learn the language or go home. It does not take three years to learn to speak English.ó Patsy Duncan
Spencer