Don’t think this is
final annexation
We want to voice our opposition to the N.C. 150 annexation. We don’t need the city services being offered. We spent $5,500 to drill a new well recently, and we are perfectly happy with our existing septic tank and private garbage service.
I don’t think it’s fair that the city can take in property. North Carolina is one of only six states that uses forcible annexation, and we support abolishing the 1959 N.C. law that allows cities to annex against the people’s will. Regardless of whether the Good Neighbors Association here defeats the N.C. 150 annexation, unless the state law is changed, the city will come back again, until it annexes what it wants.
The City Council is either really out of touch or desperate for money to annex people at a time like this. Gas prices are up; jobs re slow; small local businesses have told us how their business is slow due to the economy. In Rowan County, Freightliner employees haven’t worked steadily since last November. These days, a lot of people wonder “what is a savings account?” It will cost annexed citizens approximately $2,600 just to tap into the city sewage and water lines, and then citizens will be responsible for another $5,000-$8,000 on the average to hire a private plumber to run the lines to their homes. Who has that kind of money?
Let the record show, we citizens are against this forced annexation, and we don’t need city services. We already support the city economy by shopping and eating out in Salisbury. The whole county needs to pay attention because the city has warned that they are not stopping with annexing N.C. 150, they will target the U.S. 70 area in a few years. This has got to stop. Join us and speak out against forced annexation. No new taxes.
ó Linda & Derby Holshouser
Salisbury
Residents’ voices
are ignored again
I hope that the annexation being proposed by Salisbury in the N.C. 150 area will be defeated. If the residents and property owners of N.C. 150 wanted it and voted for it, that would be one thing, but the annexation is being forced by the city against the people’s wishes. As the city marches on, property owners’ taxes are going to double, and they do not have any say in the matter. N.C. law needs to be changed to not allow cities to force annexations on citizens.
When I inquired about the e-mail addresses for the City Council members so that I could contact them directly about this matter, I was told to e-mail City Clerk Myra Heard, and she would forward my e-mail to council members. If the City Council members volunteered to serve as elected officials, why aren’t they at the disposal of citizens? Why can’t we e-mail them without our statements being filtered through city staff?
I love our town and Rowan County, and we have a lot to be proud of here. I find it ironic that city officials like Salisbury’s comparison to small-town America as a “Mayberry RFD town” in tourism ads, but in reality, when it comes to money for their own projects, they want to be big like Charlotte so they can collect more tax money.
A year or so ago, property owners expressed opposition to the city allowing a Dollar General Store to be built in this area of homes and churches, but the council members allowed it anyway. Now they again are ignoring residents’ voices and are aimlessly annexing whatever they target. I am a huge Carolina basketball fan, and it looks like Salisbury has adopted this year’s Tar Heel Basketball teams’ motto: “Take everything! Give up nothing!”
ó Lora Owen
Salisbury
Follow example
of the founders
About 250 years ago the strongest nation on earth decided that her North American colonies were ripe for the picking.
The mother country misspent her capital and she needed more money. What an opportunity! Tax the colonies!
Why not? They were small and defenseless! Well, we showed them, didn’t we? Does this sound familiar? Taxation without representation!
We showed ’em before and we can do it again. We will not be bullied any more than our ancestors were those 250 years ago.
Stand together and protect our rights. Support Good Neighbors of Rowan County and say no to Forced Annexation.
ó E.P. Walsh
Salisbury
Losing weight is laudable, but …
In this world challenged with obesity issues, what a great encouragement to see our teachers leading by example. I say this as I refer to the March 24 Post article, “Biggest loser, West Rowan style.” However, shouldn’t we as parents and taxpayers be a little concerned that our teachers are “walking” during their planning periods?
The principal seems to be aware of this practice, but I wonder if our Rowan-Salisbury superintendent approves?
Before-school, after-school and lunch-break exercising is admirable. But shouldn’t a teacher’s planning period be spent on teacher duties and student concerns? The block schedules our high school follow allow for the average class period to run approximately an hour and 20-30 minutes long.
Couldn’t this paid time be better spent on educational activities to benefit our students? If all our teachers followed this example, I dare say our children would then become “the biggest losers.”
ó Renee Livengood
Salisbury
Late water fees
are a real drain
Regarding the March 26 letter to the editor “Late water fee isn’t fair”:
I live in China Grove also, and one month I received my water bill on the 18th, when it was due on the 15th. I called the utility office to complain and was told to “take it up with your postman.”
I had to pay my bill that day or my water would have been disconnected.
I agree ó we are suffering from hard times, and we need every penny we can spare. Late fees aren’t fair.
ó Louise Boone
China Grove