Tuesday, February 17, 2009 — I read with some interest the Report to the People offered to us recently and knowing of my interest in our local government’s desire to steal ALCOA’s hydroelectric generation facilities, I looked for the expenditures of our tax money for lawyers, ad hoc committees, payments for services and travel that dealt with those efforts. Needless to say there are no references.
Special appropriations making up 8 percent or $5,138,705 of the proposed budget seems to be the only category other than education not covered in the report that could be paying for these shenanigans. I would suggest that a detailed report on how this money is being or is going to be spent should be covered and where and to whom it is allocated.
The Cassandra of the Commissioners is that ALCOA is going to kill us all if the commissioners don’t abscond with their property. So, it would seem to me that these “Special Appropriations and Trans-fers” should be well documented as to how we are going to be “saved” from ALCOA.
Maybe Mr. Dunevant could bless us with another epistle on how the county commissioner’s plan to do pay for all of this salvation.
My second observation is that dealing with the difficult economic times and the somewhat dubious plans the federals propose to “fix it all,” I don’t see any line item or category for reserved funds. I would think that at least 3 percent ($1,927,014) should be held in reserve. If the failed collections of taxes for one reason or another occurs, that would at least provide a little cushion.
Or is it that you are going to preclude the “opportunity” and use the SA&T; funds as a reserve, thus protecting us “countymen” if the national depression continues or worsens. I think it would be prudent to do so, don’t you?
If we stop the “stealing opportunity” and apply 8 percent (5 percent + 3 percent) to a needed contingency reserve the great county of Stanly would have some insulation to the encroaching major economic recession.
It has been dully noted by economists all over the spectrum that what we are allowing our government to do with TARP and Stimulus is not going to abate anything.
In fact, it is almost the same attempt that Hoover and FDR tried at the onset of the 1930-1940 Depression that led to a second major recession in 1937-1938. Didn’t work then and an awful lot of learned men say it won’t work now. But that is another discussion that should be covered separately.
The point is that you commissioners have a duty to run our local government prudently as our appointed (elected) stewards with diligence and forethought.
In my own tiny economic operation, I know that during hard times my money cannot be spent on willy-nilly daydreams. A reserve is needed to handle unforeseen situations and those things that are truly needed.
Why can’t we do the same in our local government(s)?
Thomas M. McCluskey
New London
Letters to the Editor
Reserve fund is needed
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Gingrich a front runner?
A year ago not many people gave Newt Gingrich much chance of being president.
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An exciting year so far at WSMS
I am an eighth grade teacher at West Stanly Middle and wanted to take the opportunity to share some of the highlights of our year.
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Clean Tech has right to choose location
I am writing in reference to Huck Huckabee’s letter to the editor.
First of all, I don’t think the working population has enough time in the day to wait around for an investigation on why Clean Tech did not take the offer of the Wiscassett Mills property. -
Let them make the decisions they are being paid to make
I am not being critical of our school board or individuals who sit upon it. I am not advocating that redistricting is the best option nor am I opposed to it.
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The company was never about creating jobs
I think Mayor Whitley’s offer of the Wiscassett Mills property to Clean Tech was a brilliant move. The Jan. 5 SNAP article noted that Steve Strickler of Clean Tech said the Wiscassett Mills property “… would not fit Clean Tech’s needs in terms of size and available infrastructure.”
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It's Past Time To Look At Redistricting
Question: Where does the West Stanly School District start? Answer: Just past the little bridge on West Main Street in Albemarle just before Hinks Grill. Handi-Mart and Stanly Community College are also in the West District. The South District starts somewhere around Rock Creek Park.
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Questions to Stanly County
Over the past few months there has been a lot of public discussion concerning the ALCOA relicensing, the effort to locate CleanTech in Stanly County and the dollars spent by the Stanly County Commissioners on these two items
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Postal Service needs greater flexibility for the new year
As we look forward to the beginning of a new year, the Postal Service still needs Congress to make a basic choice: to permit USPS to function more as a business or to continue the constraints.
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ALCOA and their available jobs were not run out of Stanly County
It is my opinion that ALCOA made the choice to leave Stanly County which eliminated good paying jobs and benefits for its citizens after enjoying years of profitable business here. I am also very appreciative of the jobs ALCOA provided in the past.
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Alcoa has been a great giver to Stanly County
Stanly County
I would like to inform the Stanly County manager and the commissioners that no one person owns the Yadkin-Pee Dee River. It is owned by the God of Heaven. And Alcoa’s dams have provided a great source of water to several counties. - More Letters to the Editor Headlines
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Gingrich a front runner?
