Figures don’t add up on annexation
During the Feb. 19 meeting of the Salisbury City Council, in speaking about the annexation study, Councilman Lewis said, “As a banker, I have to get into the numbers to see if the cost benefits are there.” I sincerely hope all councilmen will take a close look at some figures in this study.
During my professional career in the public finance area I observed that a study generally shows the best outcome for those paying for the study. What can one conclude if a study paid for by the city predicts net additional revenues of only $33,588 annually?
With the present state of the economy the sales tax gain will fall far short of the predicted $235,000. The $246,962 figure for fire department services is based on the Locke VFD being willing to contract for fire services at the price of taxes lost to the annexation. These folks raise money by knocking on doors and asking for contributions and deserve to have those funds replaced.
The proposed contract with Locke VFD doesn’t change the fact that the city will eventually have to handle this service. The proposed figures include nothing for a new fire station and equipment. Stalling for a few years does not change the fact that these expenses would be an annexation cost.
The proposed cost for installation of water and sewer mains is $4.4 mllion. Most governmental projects are completed at costs well above initial projections. A 5 percent overrun would result in an additional $220,000, about seven years worth of the estimated revenue gains.
Unfortunately, there is another cost not covered in the study and that is the cost of defending it in court.
I hope that councilmen can look at these figures and see that they do not add up for Salisbury and that this proposed annexation should be put aside.
ó Carl Eagle
Salisbury
Common sense?
I find it very interesting that the Rowan County Board of Commissioners has decided to hire a law firm to fight annexation of residents in neighborhoods along Hwy. 150. The city of Salisbury has annexed many other residents in the past, and I have never known the county to get financially involved. The annexation has been the topic of county commission meetings and their recent retreat. Thousands of dollars of tax money will be spent to fight the annexation of 1,699 county residents. Does this make “common sense”?
Maybe the county commissioners are so interested in this fight because Commissioner Arnold Chamberlain lives in one of the neighborhoods that is to be annexed.
It wasn’t that long ago that Arnold Chamberlain was so concerned about the amount of money spent by the county to investigate the author of the “common sense” letters sent to then-County Manager Tim Russell, who was fired. Now Arnold is not so concerned about how much he spends of Rowan County taxpayers’ money to keep himself from paying city taxes. It appears that common sense strikes again.
ó Chauncey Gale, Sr.
Salisbury
Our trashy roads
I would like to sound off on a major problem I have been seeing for a long time but never so bad as now ó garbage. You can’t go down a street anywhere in Rowan County without seeing so much trash on the side of the roads, especially in West Rowan. Why do we have to put up with this? There are a lot of people who are trying to keep things clean; we work hard and pay ridiculous taxes, and for what? The landfills all went up on their prices, whereas in the poorer counties they are still free. Hello! Does no one but a few of us find something wrong with this picture?
Then we have certain people who pack their trucks, cars, etc. and drive to landfills and recycling facilities but there’s one major problem ó half their trash blows out onto the roads and is left there. Do they stop and pick it up? Of course not. Supposedly, you fine them if you can catch them but then the same bunch will do the same thing over and over again.
I read how the prisons are crowded. Why don’t you get these people out on the roads and have them pick up the trash? Let them earn their keep.
You don’t find any trash in Maine or New Hampshire. You can eat your supper off their roads. You keep “Historic” Salisbury clean. Why can’t you keep the rest of the streets clean? Something needs to be done and soon. You want everyone to come and see your beautiful, historic city, and counties, why not do something about it.
If you would like to see an example of what I am telling you, try going down to U.S. 70, past West Rowan Middle School, 801 and Thompson Road and you will see what I’m talking about.
ó Catherine Tobin
China Grove