I’ve been caught up lately in local politics … that is
covering local politics in North Carolina as local governments prepare their
Fiscal Year 2013-14 budgets.
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| Politics or strawberries? |
It’s not been easy for small towns in the county I cover for
the Duplin Times newspaper, a weekly that has a circulation of about 5,800.
Duplin County has a population of around 60,000 and its largest city – Wallace –
comes in just short of 6,000 people.
Politicians in the state capital – Raleigh – and in the U.S.
capital – Washington, D.C. – have been in a cutting binge since just after the
Great Recession. Here in North Carolina, Republicans rule in Raleigh with Pat
McCrory as governor and both legislative houses in the GOP’s hands. It’s what
the voters want … they made that clear when they told gays to forget about ever
getting married or enjoying civil unions in North Carolina.
With all the political changes going on in Raleigh, towns
like Wallace are trying to figure out how they’re going to revitalize their
downtowns, pay for sewer and water improvements, attract new industries and
jobs, and build parks and greenways. You see they’ve become use to getting
50/50 matching grants from the state as well as loans to pay for infrastructure
and other improvements.
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| Strawberries -- Taste to savor |
There really doesn’t seem to be any way out of higher taxes.
Cut federal taxes, cut state taxes, but roads still need to be paved and
maintained, people still need to drink clean water, rivers and lakes still need
to be clean for fishing and swimming. That means the taxes will come from the
local level through higher property taxes, higher local sales taxes, higher
gross receipts taxes on local businesses, higher utility bills, high tap fees.
Otherwise, water systems and wastewater treatment systems can’t be upgraded and
expanded, and that stops growth – no new residential neighborhoods, no new
factories and plants.
Sometimes I don’t think local politicians see the writing on
the wall – to use a worn, tired metaphor. National and state politicians are
passing the buck to mayors, councilmen and county commissioners.
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Strawberries and optimism |
Wallace was hoping to build a regional park around a 19th
century gristmill and sawmill. But with expected cutback in state grants to purchase
land, the park may not happen – unless more local funding sources can be found.
So when the town councils like the one in Wallace seek tax
increases, what are the local citizens going to say. Will they say: “We
understand. We too want parks and jobs and clean-tasting water.” Or will they rebel
at new taxes and accept pothole streets, foul-tasting water, bridges that
collapse, and closed parks?
In a month, Wallace will be holding its third annual
Carolina Strawberry Festival. It’s brings locals and tourists to the downtown
for a two-day party with lots of strawberries, barbecue, shag and beach music, and
recipe contests. It’s a time for optimism, so hopefully the party poopers in
Raleigh and Washington, D.C. won’t spoil people’s spirits.
