No reason for city to be crying foul
The annexation topic has once again raised its ugly head after only a brief hiatus.
It seems the city is crying foul play over a proposed moratorium on annexations. Salisbury City Council is attacking this legislation on the technicality that no notification was given prior to its introduction, and it will have a negative economic impact on Rowan County municipalities.
I don’t begrudge the city or its council. They’re only attempting to accomplish what they believe is best for “their” city’s longevity. I respect the council’s goals, but unless annexation is also inclusive of the wishes of those to be annexed, it is unfair.
Let’s examine the situation:
The existing annexation law is totally unfair to those being annexed, who have no vote. Municipalities use this law at will, while those to be annexed have no recourse. This is undemocratic, totalitarian and dictatorial.
The initial economic impact on each newly annexed property is thousands of dollars, not to mention the permanent doubling of property taxes.
The moratorium in question will only be in effect until June 2009. This will allow thorough review of existing annexation legislation. All aspects of this law must be evaluated for its fairness, impact on all concerned and compliance with the Bill of Rights and Constitution.
The City Council would like due consideration in the matter of the moratorium. Now the city knows what it feels like when the shoe is on the other foot ó no vote, no control of your destiny, i.e. “forced annexation.”
The attempt to annex the N.C. 150 corridor was thwarted when those being annexed beat the city at the numbers game. The city made major miscalculations, making the project too costly. Would anyone want to be under the jurisdiction of any governance whose management makes grievous miscalculations potentially costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars?
ó Dave Skowronek
Salisbury
Just leave us alone
Regarding the May 30 article on the annexation moratorium, I also am “miffed.” Not by the proposed moratorium but by the arrogance of Salisbury City Council, which refers to us N.C. 150 citizens as non-municiples. I’m not sure what they mean by non-municiples, but it sounds very negative, and therefore I am deeply offended. I am not a non-municiple.
I am a Rowan countian and a proud citizen of North Carolina and the United States. I spend most of my money in Salisbury, supporting many businesses and charities, and I endure the many potholes and detours while doing volunteer work. I believe that I, along with all other N.C. 150 residents and other folks in the county, contribute far more to the city than we receive. Therefore I think of us as “contributors,” not non-municiples who are a burden to the city and are not paying our fair share.
I’m further displeased by the council’s negative references to our state representatives who are acting in the best interest of over 130,000 Rowan countians. They don’t just represent Salisbury; they represent all of us. If the majority of us don’t want forced annexation, then so be it. We are the majority and the majority rules in this country, not Salisbury City Council.
I love the city and its citizens. But I love more where I live now and don’t want to be forced to pay huge taxes and receive nothing in return. I don’t want gangs in my neighborhood. I don’t want the city tearing up our roads laying pipe. I don’t want taxation without representation, and most of all, I still want to walk outside at night and see the stars in the sky that you can’t see in Salisbury because of light pollution. In short, leave us and our state representatives alone.
ó Donald Schumacher
Salisbury
Missing in action
It seems North Rowan is in the news a lot lately. Saturday’s sports photo caption of the All-County boys track selection was a novel approach. “North Rowan did not show” certainly left me wondering. Was it win, place, show as in horse racing, or perhaps those selected from North did not present themselves at the photo shoot or maybe North athletes are like the prey in the Sunday Mook’s Place cartoon … they are mysteriously unseen, even on Mars.
I would hope the caption should have read “Not pictured: Name, Name, etc., North Rowan,” which has seemingly been standard practice in the past. Otherwise, how about an explanation why selection(s) from Carson are left to the imagination, since representatives from the remaining area schools were pictured and identified.
Is it the Post’s intent to fuel the fire over differences at North Rowan, real or perceived? Make it easy on your staff. Publish the news (good or bad) on all subjects everywhere, all the time, and your readers won’t have to distinguish between reality and perception. I can’t recall exactly a familiar quotation seen or heard locally that states something like “The truth will set you free.” Perhaps some of your readers or staff could help me with my memory lapse and locate such an inscription. Regardless, could there be a better motto and standard procedure for reporting?
ó Rick Leonard
Spencer
Editor’s note: Carson High didn’t have any first-place finishers; therefore, it had no all-county selections.
Probation Officers Without radios
Letter:
As a bail bondsman, I have had the pleasure over the past 14 years of working with numerous probation officers. Many times we have ended up at the same location, attempting to arrest the same defendant. We have had defendants jump into vehicles and flee, chased them through the woods, found them hiding under beds, in closets, in basements and in attics. I have seen first hand your officers attempt to call out for assistance on their Nextel phones but fail to reach anyone because of poor or no signal strength at all.
Rose Cox, is this where you attempt to meet your budget at the risk of your officers lives and safety? By chance, did you sit down with your officers before making this vital decision and get their opinion since they are the ones out in the danger zone?
Your officers pride themselves in the job that they do. They are understaffed, under paid and over worked. They risk their lives daily in the streets and the least you can do is to provide them with the tools necessary to perform their jobs safely.
ó Phillip Bradshaw
Salisbury