A plethora of public hearings
The first of the public hearings was the final opportunity to praise or denounce the councils work on the draft consensus budget for the coming fiscal year. I expected to observe harmonic resonance as taxpayers discussed the necessary needs of the citizens and mandates of regulatory authorities. Sadly not one presenter shared my vision of the intent of the opening topic of public hearing. First to speak was Mr. Sam Watkins, the only presenter not required to give his name and address. Mr. Watkins’ spoke first about how over regulation stifles growth, then suggesting that prudence prevail, and encouraged growth with as little government as possible. Before he made a rambling summation in support Downtown Development Corporation, Mr. Watkins said he is not opposed to taxes per say. Now in full disclosure prior to the start of the meeting, Mr. Watkins and I talked about taxes. He said taxes hurt businesses. I replied businesses don’t pay taxes; taxes are passed through to the customer. Mr. Watkins said he has restless nights worrying about how he is going to grow his business. I said, you love it or you won’t be doing it today. There was a small smile of agreement on his face.
Next to speak was David Thomas with the airport authority. He informed the council the airport authority had signed the contract to authorize building the runway extension. The major impetus for the extension is the federal prison system in Butner. The military flights to and from California require a longer runway. Mr. Thomas assured Councilperson Insoce that there is also more business use of the airport. The next three speakers included Jason Stewardson and Phil Hart, respectively the outgoing and incoming president of the Downtown Development Corporation, and Stuart Litvin, Director Economic Development. All three were praising the DDC. Mr. Litvin encouraged the council to view the money spent on DDC as an investment in downtown development as well as the long term growth of the whole community. These meatless public comments concluded the public hearing on the draft consensus budget for the coming fiscal year.
The second public hearing regarded “consideration of approval of ordinance 13-32, amending the zoning map to change … from R20 and R15 to RA in the ETJ off Brodie Road” (see the agenda for the detail language). The point of the zoning change is to allow the building of a new animal shelter. Jonathan Care, Vance County’s attorney, defined the technical aspects of the change. Following Mr. Care was silence, neither proponents nor opponents from the public spoke. The Council approved this change.
The third public hearing was for approval of ordinance 13 – 33 to allow another zoning change. Mr. Litvin and Austin Williams, representative for CA Moloir, LLC, both spoke favoring the change. Mr. Williams said someone made an error 20 years ago when zoning the location necessitating this zoning change for his company to place a ‘doc in the box’ where Block Buster is or soon to be was. Again, no one spoke in opposition and the change was approved.
The final public hearing regarded the approval of ordinance 13 -34, to amend a table of permitted uses including selling gasoline, doing an oil change, fixin’ tires with a special use permit the central business district. Beyond the city’s support for the change there was no opposition so this change was approved.
For all the carping about local government, when given the time and place to speak in support or objection about the budget and zoning changes the public’s’ silence is deafening.
New Business
There were five resolutions under the umbrella of new business. Resolution 13-50 was a shocker to me. After a brief discussion resolution 13-50 was approved by the City Council. The resolution asks “the Vance County Board of Commissioners [to] consider implementing new delinquent tax collection policies and practices that would help increase the rate of collection by enhancements such as focusing on the oldest taxes first rather than using the alphabetical listing [and to hire] a staff attorney for the Vance County Tax Department to focus full-time on foreclosure, etc.” Here is a game of pretend. The rules of the game include these. Your last name starts with a letter in the last third of the alphabet. You own a property rental business and you are aware of the county’s tax collection policy and practice. Remember that taxes and interest are a business expense passed through to the customer. The game is this. As an amoral business owner or individual would take full advantage of the county’s tax collection policy and practice?
Something must change if we have any real intent to reduce the amount of unpaid property taxes, especially when 100 property owners (individuals and businesses) collectively owe $546,828.04 or 38.82% of 2012’s total outstanding tax liens. The same 100 owe $1,151,981.63 in total past due taxes going back to 2003 in one case.
I digress to the topic all five resolutions were approved without any disagreement.
Sara Coffey’s Question
As the meeting raced towards adjournment Council member Coffey asked Mr. Griffin what action the Council could take to assure the voters that elected officials are current with their property taxes. Mr. Griffin said there is no state law that prevents someone from holding or running for office and is unwilling to fulfill their obligation of paying their or their business’ property taxes. Maybe once the State, the County and the City governments have completed slicing and dicing the taxpayers’ money among the necessary needs of the citizens and mandates of regulatory authorities the elected officials will begin the process of crafting a rule that compels public disclosure of the “elected’s” tax payment status. In my narrow view of the world any elected person who is unwilling to pay their fair share, especially over time, has no standing in how others’ money is used to meet the needs of the citizens and mandates of regulatory authorities.
Prudence, was Mr. Watkins referring to you when he said prudence would prevail?
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All, the power point presentation by Mr. Griffin during this meeting can be downloaded here: http://homeinhenderson.com/2013/06/09/news/city-business/henderson-city-council-regular-meeting-monday-june-10th/
Michael Bobbitt:
That is funny–I hardly think so!
Prudence, glad you thought the play on words was funny. I believe life is serious yet there is no reason to go through it seriously all the time.
Phil thanks for attaching Mr. Griffin’s PowerPoint. The seventh slide in the PowerPoint has a pie chart that indicates 39% of the General Fund Revenue is property tax. What is the City’s portion (percent) of the $1,151,981.63 in total past due property taxes owed by top 100 individuals and businesses?
How about what percentage of delinquent taxes are owed by elected officials? Might as well be specific Mr. Griffin!
I forget who said this “Fear means false evidence appearing real” but I’ve found it to be mostly true. Our nation (state, cities and counties) has let fear cripple us. As with our undisciplined youth, fear keeps us silent when speaking up really would help, so fear keeps us silent to protect what little we have left. Truth cannot be left in the hands of a few, neither can courage. I am not at all politically savvy but it seems that the fewer people who brave political/public disapproval, the greater the threat to our basic well-being. If we don’t stand together in our convictions, we are so much easier to divide.
Here’s an INTERESTING observation from this weekend’s Vance County Relay 4 Life that was noticed by quite a few people who attended at various times…….NOT ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL was seen offering support to a very worthy cause other than the Mayor who made the opening remarks. Where was coffey,daye,peace-jenkins,inscoe,rainey,and v.brown? Also, where was brummitt,hester,d.brown,garrison,e.wright,and wilder? I know I left off a couple of elected officials who were also not seen by people who attended this worthwhile event and brought it to my attention. I guess if it were a meeting in California or they were to be fed instead of donating time/money/energy they may have been able to work it into their busy schedules!!! SHAME ON ALL OF YOU WHO DIDN’T SHOW YOUR FACES!!!!!!!!! Maybe you will change your outlook on this event when it hits home…….and statistics show that it will sooner rather than later!!
Thanks to all the people who did come out and support Relay 4 Life and watching the Survivors take that 1st lap is PRICELESS!!!!! Way to go RELAY!!!! You ROCK!!!!!!! Elected officials…..well…. NUFF SAID!!!!
I could not agree more, Deception. There were quite a few people wondering the very same thing. Relay is one of the only events of the year that brings citizens from all walks of life together in a friendly, safe and joyous environment. Where were they? Constituents are not happy about it…….but if no one says anything, alas, nothing will be done.
If you want to see an example of how things are going within the elected ranks, just look at our illustrious Armory located on Dabney Drive or read Mr. Bobbitt’s well informed articles on here or those produced by our local paper. Personally, I want this place to turn around and flourish. Why can we not get other people in our leadership positions that we can be overly proud of? Not all are bad, but a few bad apples can spoil the bunch.
Did anyone see members of the school board?
well,I’ll help what little I can. Only know of a few city people, but one was dealing with the loss of his mother, another one was taking care of ailing father, and one other was visiting his children for Father’s Day.
Mojo…..you had people in leadership positions when you had Mrs. Yount and Mrs. Harper on the city council. What happened? It’s called something like the Black Caucus!! They didn’t like the 2 ladies much and they got brenda peace and george daye to run for the seats. Then they filled up all the Church vans and away they went. Mrs. Yount and Mrs. Harper both have forgotten more about city/county/state government than all the current city council added together. Where has Mrs. Yount and her posts gone? I miss the “behind the scenes” look into just how corrupt and stupid some of the elected officials are. Your city/county has become nothing more than a pipeline for illegal narcotics and criminals who suck off the Social Service Dept. Notice how many “internet cafes” you have in your area? I thought a cafe was a place where you could go have a cup of coffee and read the paper…..not a place where people sell EBT Cards so they can have $$$ to put onto their “machine”!!! LOL…………………………………………………
Mojo why not run for office ?
How do you know that Mojo is not an elected city councilman? Mojo is not a commissioner. He (Mojo is a he) is smarter than all the commissioners on their best day.
If Mojo announced he is running for office how would you know unless he divulge his true identify on HiH.
That is a question people have been asking me for years. It boils down to time, or in my case, the lack there of. Maybe one day if that is what the Lord wants me to do. The plethora of issues facing our community is long. Citizens must understand our problems are not “white community” or “black community” based. Once we put color aside and realize we dug this ditch together, then we will start to climb out.
I get what is going on in certain parts of town. It is not right. Government systems get played around here like a hobo’s harmonica. And it’s as if those working in the government agencies are simply letting it happen. This is why I believe Raleigh has its eye on Vance County. Too many things are unorthodox here, and not in a good way.
Mojo, the very formation of the county was unorthodox and not in a good way.