Let’s keep some perspective during annexation turmoil
Brothers and sisters, I, too, was raised in the country outside of city taxes and services. However, the city or town limits now encompass my property. I, too, would like to have lower taxes. But now that I am accustomed to paying my fair share for security, safety and conveniences, my neighbors and I no longer complain. It’s a great life knowing someone is there if we need help, and it’s paid for fairly.
It hurts to see man and wife, brother and sister lash out at each other like animals when another comes into their territory. I read an article this morning I would like you to ponder. A couple of its paragraphs could be useful in our situation.
“You may wonder why your family has to endure adversity and disruptions. The answer, and the comfort, can be found in the gospel’s eternal perspective. The Apostle Paul taught our “affliction, which is for but a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). How is this possible?
“We are reminded: Trials and tribulations take many forms: the death of a loved one, a divorce, losing a job, ill health. The list is endless. Why did God make allowances in his plan for disappointment, pain, suffering and death? Opposition, disappointment, pain, suffering and death are necessary to protect your freedom of choice and provide spiritual development. An understanding of the plan of salvation, or earthly life and life after death provides perspective.”
Please remember you are stewards for a short time of what you claim as your self-built property. Salisbury is destined to grow, and the people you allowed to win the vote are worthy to guide this well-planned program for annexation. May peace come to you, as this growth will happen.
ó Ralph Almond
Granite Quarry
City has acted responsibly
I am a city resident and will not be affected by the proposed annexation. I am getting tired of hearing some of the claims by those in the annexation area. First of all, it’s a myth that the annexation will bring “taxation without representation.” As far as I know, these residents do reside within the state of North Carolina, whose legislature passed the forced annexation law. If these residents wanted to protect themselves against forced annexation, they should have voted for state senators and representatives with those same views about forced annexation, not just complained afterward. Also, if they did not know about the law, there is an old saying, “ignorance of the law is not an excuse.”
Second, if those residents did not want to risk being annexed, they did not have to buy homes just outside the city limits. There are vast areas of Rowan that will probably never be annexed where they could have purchased or built homes. Most people buy homes just outside city limits for a number of reasons. They are able to take advantage of services offered by the city without having to pay for them, or maybe they want to live close to their jobs.
It would be my guess that most of these residents take advantage of what Salisbury has to offer as far as employment, shopping, cultural activities, restaurants, etc. There are not too many shopping areas, restaurants or other things out in the more rural areas. The city provides the infrastructure necessary for these businesses to thrive. The city provides fire and police protection for those businesses and their customers. These residents gambled that they would be able to take advantage of what Salisbury provided without having to pay for it. They lost the bet. The city has acted responsibly and within existing laws.
ó Ray Wingerson
Salisbury