It’s hard to drive away from Rowan’s taxes
The last few letters to the editor about excessively high property evaluations should come as no surprise to the taxpayers of Rowan County. How many years have we been hearing about our local gas prices at the pump being too high? Is the same person who is causing these higher property assessments also fixing the price on the gas in Rowan County?
Now that our own county commissioners found out that they are shooting themselves in the foot by allowing property tax values to skyrocket past reasonable, fair market prices on homes they need to sell, can they do anything about reasonable gas prices, too?
While we can easily drive to other counties to pay less for our gas, it is not that easy to sleep in other counties with lower property taxes. Go to any of our surrounding counties, and you will find lower property taxes and lower gas prices. From the high-rental airport hangars to the private detectives needed for the safety of our commissioners, they need these high taxes to support their lavish government lifestyle.
We see our local appraisers running from the problem, saying a fair value will not budge the blind commissioners. No wonder Rowan County has a problem bringing new businesses and new residents to locate here. When you are on the outside looking in, you can see the scams, avoid it and go elsewhere. If you live here, you live with the scams. Rowan County must breed gullible taxpayers to allow the scams to continue.
ó Marie Coughenour
Salisbury
Annexation feels like the action of a bully
If I were a citizen or property owner within Salisbury’s city limits, I would be upset with the mayor and City Council for spending millions on a park in the county, on Hurley School Road, and providing no transportation to get there for their citizens. They should have spent that money to fix up the local parks they already have in the city so the residents could enjoy them.
Now they want to grab property from the owners in the N.C. 150 area for the tax base so that these property owners can pay for the city’s expensive blunders. Then they will raise the taxes on the homeowners in the city to pay for all the extra expenses for pump stations and the other needs they come up with, such as perhaps a new or larger filtration system to take care of the area that is one-third as large as the city is now.
The city is acting like a bully in school. Someone has something I want, and I am going to take it. Annexation is attaching onto the territory of another, like a school bully. Democracy is about equality of rights and treatment. I am a property owner and taxpayer in the N.C. 150 area, and I deserve the process of democracy, and all the other property owners in the N.C. 150 area deserve democracy also.
ó Ed Conley
Salisbury
Rowan County ready for a name change
Rowan County should change its name to Salisbury-Rowan County. Maybe some of the redundancy in city/county jobs, taxes and the like could be reduced.
Maybe we should have an East Spencer-Rowan Economic Commission and a China Grove-Rowan School Board.When all of you figure out who’s doing what, maybe Commissioner Sides can figure it out, also.
I hope you all vote for Commissioners Sides and Hall, who are the only ones who aren’t afraid of taking names to cut out the waste that’s going on in this Salisbury-Rowan County!
ó Steve Arey
Salisbury
Waiting for a call
This just in … I, too, (along with Senator Burr) will accept a spot on Senator McCain’s ticket. I will also accept a spot on Senator Clinton’s or Senator Obama’s!
ó Rodney Phillips
China Grove
Students shouldn’t be left out in the cold
I am the mother of a student at North Rowan Middle School, and I felt that it is imperative for me to let the parents in the Rowan-Salisbury School System know how our children are being treated.
For the past four months, I have been dropping my child off at NRMS as late as I possibly can to avoid having her stand outside in the cold for a long period of time. Personally, I believe that it is a disgrace that the staff at NRMS cannot come together to supervise our children in the gym, cafeteria or library before school starts. I have called NRMS on numerous occasions and even called the superintendent’s office. Unfortunately, I have been informed that absolutely nothing can be done on their part to resolve this problem, and that it is up to the principal who is responsible for that particular campus to decide where he would like for the kids to wait in the morning.
On Thursday, Feb. 13, it was 38 degrees and raining, and our children had to wait outside the building. I am quite sure that there may be some parents who probably feel as if this is minor; however, I love my child enough to encourage change. If she catches the flu or a cold from standing outside, her father and I are going to have to pay her medical bills and take off work just because the principal will not allow them to come inside the building. Something needs to be done, and our children need to be handled differently.
ó Alisha N. Byrd
Spencer
Animal sanctuary can use your help
In 2007, 3,031 animals were put to death in Rowan County in only six months’ time. The need for a no-kill animal sanctuary in Rowan County is great. Whether you have a pet or not, I believe every person in Rowan County should contribute to this wonderful cause in one way or another, with a donation of time, supplies, or money. Any amount of monetary donation would be so appreciated and used very wisely. If you can only give a few dollars, anything will help.
The statistics for putting animals to death in this county are disturbing. Please look at the Web site www.faithfulfriendsnc.com. You can make a contribution through this Web site. It is fast and simple.
I was born and raised in this county, and I know the folks here can do a much better job for this great cause than to have 3,031 animals put to death! Please, please help in some way! Have a car wash or a bake sale, put a sign up in your business and collect donations of supplies or money! Get creative with your children and family and come up with a way to help! Pack your lunch a day or two and give that $5 or $10 that you would have spent! Ask your employer to give or match your donation, sell something on eBay and donate your proceeds. Giving should be an ongoing theme in everyone’s life and for a great cause such as this. Give something yearly, quarterly, or monthly! Be generous with your time, talents, and resources! You can help!
ó Sharon Spry
Rockwell