Opening Salvo Fired on Sanford Business Tax

Problems for Pottery Festival Noted

Just as promised in the Sanford Herald this morning (Click here to read article) , City Councilman Charles Taylor raised the issue of repeal of the city's controversial business privilege tax at the City's Law and Tax Committee this afternoon. Taylor was elected last election primarily on a platform of repealing the business privilege tax.

Taylor and councilman Mike Stone, one of only two council members to originally vote against the tax, both spoke against the tax. One serious issue raised by Taylor was the impact of the tax on the annual pottery festival. Apparently all the exhibitors would have to complete the tax forms and pay for the privilege of selling in Sanford.

It was noted that the City of Sanford has a $12,000,000 fund balance. Both Taylor and Stone questioned why it was necessary to add a tax to bring in less than $250,000 when the city had that large reserve.

Taylor said the council could "change its mind and repeal the tax." He noted that the council had voted 6-1 to stop broadcasting the Law and Finance Committee meetings prior to the election, but had reversed itself after the election and voted 6-1 to resume the TV broadcasts. "We could do the same thing again." he said.

The statewide group Americans for Prosperity paid for an ad in today's Herald. Signs similar to the ad had been placed on street corners in the area near the municipal building where the hearing was to be held. The group will sponsor a rally in support of the repeal of the business tax, Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 5:30 pm, outside the Sanford Municipal Building. Afterwards, the organizers hope those at the rally will attend and speak at the council meeting.

Read more about this issue at Bill Horner's blog.

Love Endorsed By NCFREE

FREEPAC, the political action committee of NCFREE, has endorsed democrat incumbent Jimmy Love in his race for another term in the the legislature. The North Carolina Forum for Research & Economic Education (NCFREE) is a non-profit, non-partisan political research business association. NCFREE provides business leaders with the information they need to make informed decisions from a business perspective. In short, NCFREE handicaps races for the legislature, and has a record of accuracy of >95% in its legislative forecasts since the 1980's. Only candidates who are perceived to be electable , based upon district analysis, are endorsed.

NCFREE's analysis does indicate that District 51 is a swing district capable of electing of a Republican based on turn out. Current County Commissioner Linda Shook is challenging Love for the District 51 and is considered a "strong candidate."

Reives Rant Bothers Herald Reporter

Blogger Getting Under Reives' Skin--Guess Who?

Commissioner Robert Reives' attack on Commissioner John Quiggle wasn't the commissioner's only outburst at the the meeting on Monday. Commissioner Robert Reives went off on a rant about a “power-hungry, overweight, paparazzi wannabe” that wants to stir up controversy in this county.

Apparently, Sanford Heard reporter Johnathan Owens was concerned he might be the culprit but it turned out to be another blogger whose name was not disclosed. Owens gives an account of his reaction on his blog. You can read it here.

I saw my doctor this morning, and she confirmed what I already knew--I am overweight. I thought it might be me but paparazzi go after candid photographs and The E-Lee Dispatch deals with candid ideas. I will breathe easier.

If a child in kindergarten were having these kind of outbursts, the teachers would be calling the parents in to find out if something was bothering the child. Apparently the unnamed blogger is getting under Reives' skin.

Reives Snarls At Quiggle When Pushed on LCHS

Reives Takes Shot At "Lame Duck" For Speaking Up

It looked like for a moment that the fur might be literally flying in the chambers of the county commissioners as Representative Robert Reives had had enough of Commissioner John Quiggle's pushing on the issue of offering the public a commitment on a Lee County High School.

Reives responded to Quiggle that Quiggle couldn't make a commitment on anything since Quiggle had not run for reelection. "You won't be here. You didn't file." Quiggle responded that he would be there until November and that he didn't need to be there to make a commitment."

Quiggle shot back that in 15 years Reives might not be there and he could make a commitment. One could see Quiggle weighing a wide range of options, but with intimidated silence from the rest of the commissioners decided to let the issue past. It was a heated testy exchange that Chairman Bob Brown should have contained by rebuking Reives attack but failed to do. It was the kind of biting exchange that allows Reives to get his way on most issues before the board.

Based on what might be called "Reives Rules" of participation in decision, those commissioners who face democrat primary opponents in May better hope they win. Otherwise they will be getting the "lame duck" back hand from Reives.

It was a much different demeanor than Reives had shown about an hour earlier when the board had just heard from students and teachers from Lee County High School. He had put his statesman hat on and discussed his great concern for the wellbeing of the students and teachers.

The meeting can be seen on the local cable channel on Sanford TV11
Tuesday - 8:00pm
Thursday - 8:00pm
Saturday - 1:00pm & 8:00pm

Update: This schedule may be subject to change. The E-Lee Dispatch will keep you advised.

Seeing Myself In The Mirror

Editor Finds Himself Part of Tax Committee

Note: I broke the news on this group in a post just a couple of days ago. (Click Here to Read that Post) Little did I know that I would be asked to substitute for a representative of the group Friends of Lee County High School and become a part of the event myself. I track events and write this blog because I feel the readers need to have a perspective on the events and issues taking place in Lee County. It wasn't intended to be about me. I called my friend Bill Horner at the Herald and asked him how one professionally reported on an event in which he was a participant. He said to write it in the first person and give my impressions. Here they are. I welcome your comments.

When this group was formed, I had hoped that it would be a private forum for dealing with the issue of LCHS renovations. My hopes were dimmed considerably with a ruling that the meeting was subject to the open meetings law and open to the press. Nothing like a reporter in a room to tame candid discussions about tough decisions among good, civic minded people. Then it was clear various groups were coming armed with their staffs. Staff don't usually resolve issues that the bosses won't or can't.

The decision that the meeting was public is a major blow. If the meeting is public, the documents are public. Media or opponents need only walk in and ask for public documents. My biggest regret is not bringing serious attention to this dilemma.

Upon arrival was an agenda laid out by Bob Joyce of the Chamber of Commerce. It looked just like at least five or more others from other causes in other places that I had participated in before. It was the mechanics of running a referendum campaign with the usual topics like materials and speakers bureau. There was, however, one big difference. The first item was "Think Positive!" It was a faint but visible sign that this was a coalition forced by the county's financial needs instead of a cause that needed no rallying cry.

I had the feeling no one wanted to be negative and, hence, blamed for what could well be the failure of the tax referendum. But there is a lot of difference in wanting to not be negative and being enthusiastic for a cause. The search for a cause came with the next agenda item--a name for the group.

After discussion we came up with a name for the group, A Fair Tax For Lee County. I was mindful that we could not, with the vague resolution passed by the commissioners, come up with a name for what people would be buying but were focusing on the nature of the tax.

Early on, while discussing possible names for the group, there was a sharp moment when Commissioner Jamie Kelly turned and asked me if a comment I made meant I would support the tax. That decision had been made when I signed on to represent Friends of Lee County High School, and I answered yes. It did not mean, however, that my advocacy for the full funding of LCHS would stop.

On the agenda was a line item for frequently asked questions that the public might have. Someone said, "What is the money being used for." I waited until the moderator was almost ready to move on and said "Well one obvious question is what about the funding of renovations of Lee County High School." I got the tactful reply from Bob Joyce that we should get the tax passed first and then there would be plenty of time to work out how the money was spent.

My first reaction was that this would certainly thrust the issue into the arena of the fall elections--a place I would not have assumed that incumbent commissioners would want it to be. My second thought was that we were violating a best practice of passing referendums--always address the voters concerns. Imagine a button, "Vote Yes And Get Something."

Yet, there were advocates from the board of education present and others who must feel the same way. I wasn't going to be the one to light a fuse to a subject that was in a setting too hot to handle and resolve. Not as a substitute for an organization with its regular leader to my right. As time passes I wonder about my decision.

We had been asked to sign on to selling what the commissioners had passed, and I like everyone else had signed on to the agenda at the start. Once I join in a team effort, I feel great pressure to stick with it. I worked hard to be constructive and subtle on several key points. For example, I attempted to push for more specific statements about the non-educational needs that would be met but found no support for doing so. Several others of the group had obvious campaign experience, too. Among us there was candor about the short time frame to carry out a difficult task but no out of the box thinking on any new approaches. My colleague representing Friends of Lee County made positive contributions and was struggling to support the cause.

I thought the difficulty of raising a budget of $10-15000 was glossed over. I mused about suggesting that the county fund a larger part of the effort. I found myself even subtly raising the point. I thought how ironic because such a decision would be a headline post in the E-Lee Dispatch. It was an interesting temptation. Yet as a member of the group, it seemed an avenue worth pursuing.

And, after all, county employees were present, and it was noted that both the county government and the school board had assigned personnel to work on the effort. County manager John Crumpton explained what is considered the line they have to walk--government resources can be spent on educational activities but cannot advocate how to vote on the issue. I thought about how difficult a line to tippy-toe down. I imagined someone from the county doing an "educational Powerpoint" and then having to hand it off to some non-government employee to add the last slide that said "Vote Yes." The meeting felt more and more bureaucratic as the minutes wore on.

It was a measure of the dryness of the meeting that it finished 15 minutes early. One could certainly tell that no full dialog on the LCHS situation had consumed any time.

I don't know if I will be filling in as a representative of Friends of Lee County High School again or not. If I am asked, I will do so out of loyalty to the cause. And, after all, I signed on to the agenda. But I have come to realize that buying in is much harder.

It was a while after the meeting that I realized that one issue was never brought up directly.
What did the group think the chances of the referendum passing would be if nothing were done?

Sheriff Makes "Best of Lee County"

Carter wins again, and again.

For the fifth year in a row--and his second time as sheriff-Tracy Carter was recognized as the best law enforcement officer in Lee County by readers of the Sanford Herald. As noted by the the Herald "Tracy Carter has done some great things in his first year as sheriff." (To see a list of his accomplishments click here.)

But Sheriff Carter first won the award in 2004 while serving as chief of the school special police, so the public recognition of his leadership predates all his accomplishments in his first year.

The Sheriff is most active public officials in the county and has a web site with numerous resources as well as a blog newsletter. (To go to his website click here.) Follow links and you will find a wealth of information to make you and your community safer.

Group Formed to "Market" Tax Referendum

Renovations at LCSH Likely to Be "Gorilla" in the room.

A group has been formed to market the sales tax referendum, but it faces two challenges--what they are selling and the clock. When the group convenes for the first time tomorrow morning in a private meeting at the Chamber of Commerce, it will have only 34 days to reach agreement on a campaign to sell the 1/4 cent sales tax, raise funds, and conduct a marketing campaign. And the issue of LCSH is a gorilla the group will have to face.

Appointees to the group include:

• Commissioners--Jamie Kelly and Linda Shook
• School Board Members --Shawn Williams and John Bonardi
  
• CCCC Trustees--Ed Garrison and Jan Hayes
• Board of Economic Development--Tommy Mann, Jr. and Harry Miller
• Chamber of Commerce--Jerry Pedley and Chip Mann
• Friends of Lee County High School--Kathy Briggs and Arlene Jackson

Representatives of the School Board and Friends of Lee County High School are at odds with the County Commissioners over the decision by the county commission to delete specific references to renovations at Lee County High School from a resolution indicating how the new tax revenues might be spent.

The organizational meeting will deal with a name for the organization, determining its mission and role, identifying an entity to administer the committees funds, and a schedule of work. A big gorilla--the unresolved issue of listing specifically funding for Lee County High School is also likely to be sitting at the table and could consume considerable time and effort during the meeting. Meanwhile, the clock will be ticking.