Rowan County needs a land-use plan
Words cannot fully describe my disappointment in the failure of our county commissioners to reach a go forward position on a land-use plan for western Rowan County on Monday evening.
We’ve had a steering committee invest 14 months of its time to document a comprehensive plan which balanced farm land preservation with mixed-use development. The Rowan Planning Board took a fraction of that time to gut the plan.
I’m an engineer by education and learned very early in my career to plan your work and work your plan. I know of no person in Rowan County who would build a house without a blueprint.
The people of Oregon watched California and put a plan in place to preserve their state and simultaneously manage growth. We only have to look at Mecklenburg County to realize that we also desperately need a plan. We now have a plan, albeit not perfect, that offers direction for western Rowan County.
The citizens of Rowan County stand at a crossroads. We can either work our plan or continue down the current path, controlled by developers, and be victims of spot zoning. I, for one, feel the choice is obvious.
ó Eric Marsh
China Grove
Reject the status quo
In several weeks we will vote for a Republican or Democratic candidate to steer our country for another term. Most of us have had to deal with conflicting emotions. This choice allegedly represents the correct political philosophy that will guide us in the future ó immediate and not remote.
If we ask who and why we are voting for “X,” the response is because “he/she is the least of all evils.” This smacks of defeatism and illustrates our loss of control over the nation’s political system. Our representatives gleefully enjoy health benefits denied the public, support pork barreling for a multitude of sins too numerous to mention, allow congressional members immunity from the justice system and other benefits including very long vacations.
However, there is a way to lift the political parties out of their lethargy. Should the electorate vote for the third party, whatever and whomever it supports, this may bring the “revolution” to their attention. One should not deceive himself/herself and believe that the third party will gain the White House, but is a non-violent way of expressing dissatisfaction with those we send to Washington. It may alert elected officials to the possibility their tenure could end.
If we believe candidate rhetoric, a critical analysis indicates there is nothing new. For example, the $700 billion bailout passed through Congress in the amount of $850 billion because of pet projects. If the aspirants for the White House would stop throwing dirt and insulting each other, they would have to discuss relevant economic and political views and goals ó a no-no.
Vote against “business as usual” and follow the advice of George Washington and John Adams, who dreaded the dangers of partisanship. They feared that democracy would not last in its present form.
ó Dr. Arthur Steinberg
Salisbury
Democracy taxes
This is in response to all those who have decried Senator Obama’s tax plan as socialist.
Since the beginning of our nation, we have had taxation. It is collected from the people and disbursed according to budgets prepared by the executive department and approved by elected members of the Congress. It goes to national projects according to the priorities established by those elected officials.
This is not socialism. It is democracy.
ó Hope Davis
SalisburyStick to schoolwork
Teachers have enough to do without monitoring what the kids are wearing. I know that some of the kids will wear the correct attire but a large majority will not.
Why add more to the teachers just so the kids can express themselves? Express yourself in your school work, and quit worrying about what you wear.
The school will provide anyone with uniforms that need them and they will even wash them for you.
Worry about something worth worrying about.
ó Patsy Duncan
Spencer