Billy Yow will support a tax increase
Jun. 8, 2007

Well, it's official. Billy Yow said publicly last night at the County Commssioners meeting, that he will support a 3 cent tax increase if the budget did not include funding for the proposed Civil Rights Museum which is scheduled to receive $250,000.00 this year.  The 3 cent tax increase that he is willing to suport, will cost the tax payers of this County 12 million dollars. 

Billy Yow is so aganist anything that he think will benefit the African American community, that he is willing to increase taxes on the citizens of Guilford County by 12 million dollars.  How crazy is that?  He has also stated that his conditions to vote for a 3 cent tax increase is also contingent on  the board abandoning the idea of funding the plans for alternative ways of incarceration, which was included in the manager's budget for $300,000.00. Kaye Cashion and Paul Gibson have also said that they wanted to abandon this funding also. I guess it is because these plans will take away their argument for a new jail.

Billy Yow has several other conditions that I will reveal to you later next week for his support of a 3 cent tax increase which involves cutting certain staff positions and the agreement to give more money to the Sheriff department's budget. 

For the record, I have no problem with Billy Yow stating his conditions for voting for a 3 cent tax increase, which will be included in the budget this year.  The problem I have, is that he has 4 Democratic Commissioners who are going along with some of his rediculous demands.

Paul Gibson is so focused on passing a budget without the inclusion of the African Americans on the board, that he is willing to cut a deal with Billy Yow and Mike Winstead for their support.  Kaye Cashion, John Parks and Kirk Perkins have shown no leadership on this budget at all.  They are simply going along with Paul Gibson, who is being dictated to by the Sheriff. 

However, the budget is scheduled to be adopted at our next official meeting on June 21st.  There will be several behind the scene meetings taking place before then.  I will also be having meetings with the staff and even some of the commissioners to try to put together an alternative budget for their consideration, which I believe will be less than the 3 to 4 cent tax increase that is being proposed. 

Please take time to look at the proposed Manager's budget and give me your input on possible cuts. Time is of the essence.

 

published by Skip at 8:56 AM | in:
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Comments:
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Cuts
I think cutting $250,000 for the museum is a good place to start.
published by Anonymous at 8:38 PM, Jun. 8, 2007 | Link | |

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Same Old Song & Dance
Why is it that only property owners seem to bear the major brunt of our perpetual annual tax increases? Do we receive City or County services that non-property owners do not? Non-property owners enjoy the same public parks as we do, they enjoy the same police and fire protection as we do, they enjoy the same road improvements as we do. Please explain why I, as a homeowner, am forced to pay a higher rate of property tax each and every year to support the ever expanding bureaucratic fiasco we like to call a government? Is this not taxation without representation? Shouldn't bond referendums pegged to an increase in property taxes only be allowed to be voted on by the very same property owners themselves? Why should an apartment dweller or renter be allowed to have a say in the potential increase of MY property tax? Is this fair? I think not! Can we not find a more fair and equitable method of taxation where every citizen of this City or County participates?

Quite frankly, I'm tired of supporting those in this City and County who contribute little and take a lot. I worked hard to get where I am in life and I shouldn't constantly be penalized for my success. Our current system is broken and needs to be fixed. Where is the incentive of a Section 8 recipient on welfare or WIC or Food Stamps or Medicaid to change their lives? They are never taxed and yet they receive the bulk of our social benefits. Is this fair? I would like to know how many of these recipients are actually incapable of holding a job or simply scamming the system.

If our Democratically controlled City, County and State Governments do not soon change their tax and spend ways, a "Quiet Riot," to use the words of Barack Hussein Obama, will soon erupt among our citizens. A revolt is near and our elected officials are completely oblivious to the growing anger and frustration. We can only be pushed so far before something snaps...

I would like to extend this challenge to our locally elected officials: Try running your households as you do our government. Where would the constant budget overruns come from in your household? You cannot simply snap your fingers and create additional revenue through tax increases. Your dollar only stretches so far so you learn to reign in spending and cut out the fat and non-essential expenses. Isn't the primary option of a household that spends more than it receives in wages to cut expenses? Wow, what a novel idea - not spending more than you earn!

Why not take the General Electric approach to employee governance and fire the bottom performing 10% of our workforce annually? Wouldn't this increase productivity and save money at the same time? Give me the line item budgets and I guarantee you that I can identify plenty of "fat" to be cut. Our elected representatives are an embarrassment and a joke! I formally call on you to do your jobs and actually represent the needs, desires and wants of your constituents rather than yourselves! Elected positions are one of representation and should in no way be used to further personal interests and agendas. Term limits should be implemented and strictly imposed. Our founding Fathers never intended participation in Government to be a "full-time" position, yet many of our elected officials continue to serve term after term while contributing absolutely nothing to the process of governance. Any elected official should be allowed no more than two terms in their respective office. Anything else creates a self-serving interest in direct conflict with their constituent's desires.

And, by the way, Skip, we are all sick and tired of you playing the race card. It is sooo tiresome and predictable. You state, "Billy Yow is so against anything that he think will benefit the African American community, that he is willing to increase taxes on the citizens of Guilford County by 12 million dollars." Here we go again. I forgot that blacks in this town have it so rough. In my opinion and experience, most of the so-called black leaders in this region only know how to pander for votes through demogogery and misinformation. Virtually all of the so-called black leaders are affiliated with some sort of non-profit group that purports to support a cause targeted towards their constituents while at the same time the only benefit derived from the affiliation seems to be bestowed on the non-profit members themselves. For example, upon examination of Sit-In Movement, Inc.'s tax returns one can see that excessive amounts of funds were paid out for travel expenses, 5 plasma televisions (this was uncovered through a State audit), etc. Yet, after fourteen years, millions of tax payers dollars and the passing of Rosa Parks, the "museum" is not even close to completion. This is an absolute travesty and a fleecing of our hard earned tax dollars. Do you not have any shame at all. The Roman Coliseum was built in less time by hand. Are you not completely embarrassed??

It's time for you to play a new game and "fold" your race cards...I believe everyone has had enough...


published by Anonymous at 3:46 AM, Jun. 9, 2007 | Link | |

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taxes
you and other democrats have been increasing taxes each year to fund your pet programs,it has to stop sometime.
published by Anonymous at 10:01 AM, Jun. 9, 2007 | Link | |

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Untitled Comment
Please forgo any donations to non profits like the Civil Rights museum and football teams and what ever in order to get the alternatives to incarceration. Since the majority of those being incarcerated for addiction are sadly Blacks then these alternatives will certainly help the Black community. In fact, a mental health and addiction center where persons must stay at least 30 days is far more benefit to the people living today than any monument to the past. Besides the Museum will happen eventually. Brenda Bowers
published by BrendaFayBowers at 11:16 AM, Jun. 9, 2007 | Link | |

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taxes
the democrates have raised taxes for several years to fund their programs.
published by Anonymous at 3:31 PM, Jun. 9, 2007 | Link | |

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Property Owners and Property Taxes
Just because a person does not own a home or property in Guilford County, it does not mean that the person does not pay property taxes. Just like any other expense, the cost of the property taxes are added into the rental rate that is paid by the tenant. So in reality the property owner that rents his/her property to a tenant is not paying property taxes on that property, the tenant is.

Therefore, yes the tenant should have all of the voting rights and privileges as the property owner has.

Also, it is not surprising that we have people in our County that thinks and have the same belief as Billy Yow. As usual, racism is still alive and well in Guilford County.
published by Skip at 11:56 PM, Jun. 10, 2007 | Link | |

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Skip --- YOU ARE A Joke...a very Bad one
Who do you think you are foolling ??? You can't get the taxpayers of the county to pass a BOND to support YOUR museum...so you use your position as a commissioneer to slip it into the budget ?? Now you are trying to act upset when another commissioner calls your SHAM for what it is !! SHAME ON YOU !!
- YOU ARE SUCH A BIGGOT !!
published by Anonymous at 7:33 PM, Jun. 11, 2007 | Link | |

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Budget
Alston,

Belated birthday greetings....This Jerry L. McClough from ThatsWhatzUp. I would like to get a better understanding on how this budget process works. I have a few questions.

1. How much in tax revenues do Guilford County collect annually?
2. Is it broken down by districts?
3. Where can I located this information?

Thank you in advance for the detailed information and Godspeed.
published by jmcclough at 1:47 PM, Jun. 13, 2007 | Link | |

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Reverse Racism
Thanks for proving my point regarding the race card. I brought up a number of valid points and you chose to respond by, yet again, playing this very card by calling me a racist. I believe that I now have your thought process pegged - anyone who disagrees with you is automatically labeled a racist. This surely must make things easier for you as everything is literally in black and white...

For the record, your comments and actions make you nothing but a racist. Reverse racism is alive and well...

By the way, did you get a chance to catch any of today's golf tournament on that Plasma TV paid for by the taxpayers??



published by Anonymous at 8:23 PM, Jun. 15, 2007 | Link | |

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Re: Skip's Comments on "Same Old Song & Dance"
Humm, Let's see... My initial comments made absolutely no reference to race in any way, yet, you immediately pegged me a racist with the same beliefs as Billy Yow. Why would you automatically assume that my comments regarding personal responsibility and government benefits were aimed at the "black" community? What, in my comments, gave you that impression? It sounds to me that you have pretty low expectations of your constituents and your race by jumping to such an inexplicable conclusion.

Again, it was you that brought up race and not me...

I think it would be interesting to hear what made you formulate such a ridiculous conclusion. Are you inferring that the majority of your constituents are taking advantage of the social programs to which I was referring?

Please elaborate...
published by Anonymous at 8:39 PM, Jun. 22, 2007 | Link | |