One of the more memorable of Dr. Seuss’s stories is The Zax.
There was a north-going Zax and a south-going Zax. They met, face to face, feet to feet, and both refused to move — ever. The story goes on to say that progress did not stand still, so it just bypassed the two stubborn Zaxes who refused to budge.
Sometimes this community acts like a bunch of Zaxes.
When it comes to economic development, one Zax says that to bring in jobs we must impress everyone with our buildings and provide stimulus money and look to a HUB to save. This Zax says that we must always listen to it because its Zax-faction is the only one that can get things done because they have always run things. They do not care if the jobs pay enough to keep people off the Medicaid rolls or if the jobs negatively impact the environment. These Zaxes will take any jobs we can get.
Another Zax says cleaning up the town, tearing down blight, improving our infrastructure, and protecting our environment is the way to go. This Zax says that getting all people to the table and promoting tourism, water resources, and quality neighborhood living is the way to go. They say with the High Speed Rail we should look to making this a bedroom community because industry is a thing of the past. Small businesses should be the goal.
If these two Zax-factions continue their stalemate, then economic progress is going to bypass us, if it hasn’t already.
We have thrown all kinds of money and all kinds of resources at the problem of economic development. The list of governmental agencies and departments that have a hand in economic development is almost endless. But what has it really gotten us in Vance County?
One economic development group, Triangle North, was formed to try to bring development to Vance, Warren, Franklin, and Granville counties. The idea came from a group at UNC that did a feasibility study that led to the HUB idea. Triangle North is the brand name used by the Kerr-Tar Economic Development Corporation.
Recently the Golden LEAF Foundation gave Triangle North a grant of $50,000. This money is to be used to target through a marketing campaign businesses that deal with defense, technology, and science. Part of the money is to be used to advertise the business parks in the four counties. Surely this money will be spent locally.
All the counties in North Carolina are assigned a Tier number. The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1 counties and the next 40 counties are Tier 2. Tier 3 classification is reserved for the least distressed counties and that would include Orange, Wake, Durham, and Forsythe, among others. You can find all the Tier ranking on the NC Department of Commerce Web site.
If you have a Tier 1 rank, then a company is encouraged to invest in these less prosperous counties by being given tax credits. Of the four counties in the Triangle North group, Vance is a Tier 1 as is Warren, while Franklin and Granville are Tier 2 counties. So, you would assume most businesses would look to Vance and Warren first as the tax credits would be far more advantageous.
Not so.
Through a legislative act, Franklin and Granville counties, because they are in the Triangle North corporation, can enjoy and benefit from Tier 1 status even though these counties are not as distressed as a “real” Tier 1 county. This puts Vance and Warren counties at a distinct disadvantage for economic growth. The least prosperous do not have an advantage.
The legislature has provided almost $6 million to Triangle North. This money has gone mainly to purchase land or to the down payment on loans to purchase land or to provide infrastructure improvements. In our area of the Kerr-Tar HUB, land was purchased from Granville Partners and Poplar Creek Properties, among others. In addition, the legislature set aside $250,000 for improvements in the Orange-Breckenridge area. With the funding appropriation of the land secured, let’s hope that recruiting and expanding businesses will not be far behind. And, let’s hope that all the money we taxpayers are providing will be a catalyst for job growth.
But, if that does not happen soon, then it is time for that Zax to get out of the way and let the other Zaxes have a stab at it. Our patience and forbearance and our laying out of tax dollars to find a fix is at an end. And we do know that progress is passing us by while the stubborn Zaxes stand face-to-face, feet-to-feet.