Letters to the editor: 10/12/00

Don't pay your taxes

To the Editor:

Well, the new BIG tax bills are out. The taxpayers who actually pay their taxes are dismayed and feeling as though our county fathers have let us down.

There are hundreds of thousands of dollars owed in back taxes. Folks who can well afford to pay ignore the bills year after year, letting them pile up with no intent of ever paying them. "Oh well," they say to themselves, "when the property changes hands, the taxes will be caught up and the penalties covered."

However, if everyone paid their taxes there never would have been a tax increase of such an exorbitant amount as we are seeing on our bills now. The tax bill on our own property increased 49.2 percent!

We're tired of supporting a county where only part of the property owners pay their way and many of those who actually do pay are folks who can barely make ends meet to pay it!

Why are any of us paying taxes? What if everyone would let their tax bills go unpaid for just one year? Would our government officials wake up to the injustice they are allowing to go on unchecked? There would be a late fee, but wouldn't that be well worth the trouble to get things on the right track?

Are you going to pay your taxes this year?

Sandie and Bruce Jones

Sylva

We should keep our independence

To the Editor:

To have an appointed county manager would be the worst possible mistake we could make.

This is an issue which is beyond the limits of party affiliation, Republican or Democrat. What is at stake is whether we, as citizens of Jackson County, will continue to keep or independence and control our own destiny or whether we will give up that control to an individual who will have no direct relationship or allegiance to us.

Appointed county managers have their own agendas. They are usually trained to do that job by institutions that teach them to think "in-the-box." Consequently, they are trained to think that unrestricted growth and limitless population expansion are the best options. They want to increase county revenues regardless. This is the kind of thinking that they were graded on in graduate school.

An appointed county manager will almost never be a lifelong resident or have any other connection with the county other than to take a paid job here.

That 99 other counties in this state have appointed county managers makes the point that we are absolutely correct in not having one. This can easily be seen by taking a day-trip to almost any other county in this state. A short trip to Mecklenburg, Wake, Guilford, Durham or Forsyth counties will show how well their appointed county managers have done. There will be lots of time to consider that impact while sitting in traffic.

Patrick Holleman

Sylva

Amateur radio group conducts successful drill

To the Editor:

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service District 15 of Jackson County, along with the Jackson County Emergency Management Department and Mike Ensley, held a successful and important drill Oct. 7 at the Justice Center.

All county fire departments, the Sheriff's Department, Sylva Police Department and the American Red Cross had test messages transmitted to different areas via HAM radio. Amateur radio operators located in different areas of the county passed those messages to the net control operator, who in return, passed them to the appropriate officials or departments within the county.

According to Ron Rearick of the District Office, this was one of the better drills. All the points have not been fully tallied, but the proficiency is up by 75 percent from last year's test drill. This type of drill is sanctioned and approved by the FCC and the Amateur Radio Relay League, all of which support emergency preparedness at both the local and state levels.

We will not forget how important the amateur radio was during Hurricane Floyd and the many services it provides for all areas in need, including law enforcement and the Red Cross. We here at ARES of Jackson County are ready to assist at any time when we are called upon for, and during, any type of disaster of which we may encounter.

We wish to thank Melton-Riddle Funeral Home for their assistance in offering a shelter tent, all county fire departments, county and city law enforcement, Red Cross and Mike Ensley. And many thanks to the Jackson County officials who allowed us to use the grounds at the Justice Center as the command post for our drill.

Watch for more events coming up involving the ARES District 15.

Alvin Frady

Sylva

Taylor campaign suggestion

To the Editor:

After reading and listening to Charles Taylor's tax woes, and after listening to his campaign rhetoric of "Mr. Taylor, you're our man," it would be a much more appropriate campaign slogan to say, "I'm Charles Taylor, and I'm your man. Collect my taxes if you can."

Burl Henson

Sylva

Letters to the editor: 10/12/00

Don't pay your taxes

To the Editor:

We should keep our independence

To the Editor:

Amateur radio group conducts successful drill

To the Editor:

Taylor campaign suggestion

To the Editor:

Back to Archive: 10/12/00.