Citizens Against Government Waste Porker of the Month for February 2011 Rep. Jerrold Nadler

Porker of the Month is a dubious honor given to lawmakers, government officials, and political candidates who have shown a blatant disregard for the interests of taxpayers from our friends at Citizens Against Government Waste CLICKHERE


Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) February Porker of the Month for his continued insistence on wasting tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on federal high-speed rail (HSR) projects. On January 27, 2011, Rep. Nadler called for $117 billion in federal funding for HSR over the next 30 years. If history is any guide, total costs will be dramatically higher. Read more CLICKHERE 

Greensboro N.C. Will Waste $78,000 of Taxpayers Money for a Federal Lobbyist if Approved Tuesday

"38. Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to represent the City of Greensboro priorities to Federal elected officials and agencies. (Council District: all) (roll call vote) (Attachment #38 to Councilmembers) COPY OF THE PROPOSAL ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW."

As you can see from the above agenda item for consideration at next Tuesday's Greensboro N.C. City Council meeting for March 1, 2011, they want to hire Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP CLICKHERE as their lead lobbyist on the federal level with the proposed cost for service is $78,000 a year. The Greensboro Partnership has agreed to pay 25% ($19,500) of this cost . But let's take a closer look at who might pay the total cost because in the Rhino Times this week there is a article titled "Even President finds Partnership Confusing" CLICKHERE . In the article John Hammer wrote this,

The Greensboro City Council uses the Greensboro Partnership to launder money, according to what the council was told at its work session on Tuesday, Feb. 22.



The council allocates $200,000 to the Partnership to be used by the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance (GEDA), but of that money $25,000 goes to Downtown Greensboro Inc. (DGI) and $30,000 goes to the Piedmont Triad Film Commission.


Dan Lynch, president of the GEDA, told the council Tuesday that the money was simply a pass-through. He said they were told to write a check for $25,000 to DGI and $30,000 to the film commission and he did, but he did not know why.

Now we have another item to add to this money laundering game the City of Greensboro wants to play with the Greensboro Partnership at the expense of the Greensboro Taxpayers who are getting hosed in this situation. It is so amazing to see the City of Greensboro wants to think about cutting a job or even a service to the citizens at the same time hire a lobbyist on the federal level when in reality we have capable leaders in Washington D.C. working in our behalf and on top of it we have a sitting Senator in the name of Kay Hagan who resides in Greensboro and we also have the other senator of this state who resides right next door in Richard Burr from Winston Salem. We can also add on the House side in Rep. Howard Coble who also resides in Greensboro as well.

Taxpayers money going after Taxpayers money the City of Greensboro will get the Citizens Against Government Waste Porker of the Month Award if they approve this contract on Tuesday March 1, 2011. If you would like to say to the Greensboro City Council that this is a total waste of taxpayers money and to say NO on item #38 CLICKHERE

Should Government agencies be allowed to hire lobbyist? CLICKHERE

also here are some links to other posts in regards to this hiring of a federal lobbyist by the City of Greensboro.

December 17, 2010 Update: City of Greensboro Dumps State Lobbyist But Now Wants To Hire Federal Lobbyist: Government Waste At It's Best CLICKHERE

July 3, 2010 State and Local Governments Aggressively Lobby the Federal Government in Hopes of Federal Aid Opensecrets Blog CLICKHERE

June 2, 2010 Greensboro's Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Vaughan Eliminating the City's Paid State Lobbyist from the Budget Video Embedded CLICKHERE

We will see what happens on tuesday but as the mayor Pro tem with a link above said on video that we have capable representatives already elected by us working for us with our taxpayers monies . We don't need to waste anymore money to hire a federal lobbyist but if it gets approved then hopefully in future we will see candidates realize government waste and vote no for items like this.You can also remember this item because it could be a good campaign issue for people who are wanting to get in office in future to say this is the type of wastefull spending that doesn't need to happen.

Agenda item for March 1, 2011 for City of Greensboro

38. Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to represent the City of Greensboro priorities to Federal elected officials and agencies. (Council District: all) (roll call vote) (Attachment #38 to Councilmembers) COPY OF THE PROPOSAL ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Mayor Bill Knight Wins with 56% of vote in Poll on Triadwatch for Mayor of Greensboro

The first ever poll on Triadwatch and the winner for Mayor of Greensboro N.C. is Bill Knight with 56% of vote , followed by Tom Phillips with 25% of vote and last was Greensboro Councilman Robbie Perkins with 18% of vote. Thanks to all who voted it was a first but hopefully will not be the last time we do a poll question on Triadwatch.

Let the NORTH CAROLINA REDISTRICTING GAMES BEGIN , Census Data out Next Week

_________________________________________________________________________________
From: Coats, Bob [mailto: bob.coats@osbm.nc.gov ]


Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 4:13 PM

To: ncdata@lists.ncmail.net

Subject: [NCDATA] 2010 Census Data

Hi Folks –

The US Census Bureau has announced that it will ship the 2010 Census data for North Carolina next week.

The data will be shipped to state leadership on Monday – Wednesday. Receipt must be verified by one member of each party on the distribution list. Following verification the data will be posted on the US Census Bureau’s new American FactFinder at the end of the week.


Bob Coats
(919) 807-4781
Governor’s Census Liaison

Strategic Management
North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management
20320 Mail Service Center
Raleigh , NC 27699-0320
_________________________________________________________________________________



As we see from above e mail on ncdata list serve let the REDISTRICTING GAMES in North Carolina begin. It will be very interesting to see if the Republicans will have a open and transparent process in regards to the redistricting of this whole state. There was a meeting on 2-3-11 called take it to raleigh that met at the Greensboro N.C. chambers here is a clip of  the host of this blog talking about redistricting. One note in that the title says 3-3-11 but should say 2-3-11 sorry for that in title.




Let the redistricting games begin and hopefully we will see more compact and non gerrymandered districts for the citizens of North Carolina.

Greensboro Gas Prices

http://www.greensborogasprices.com/

Why did Japan bomb Pearl Harbor?

War is cruelty.

The crueler it is the sooner it's over.

General William Tecumseh Sherman
Employed "scorched earth" tactics against the Confederacy

If there’s only so much oil and unlimited currency production capacity, could energy demand exceeding supply ignite inflation?

Without petroleum, we will not be able to feed the global population.

Robert L Hickerson

If 2008 was the first year
the billions of people in China, India, Russia and the Middle East
consumed more oil than the millions in the US,
what should happen when cheese demand exceeds supply?

Are there correlations between currency, debt, natural resources, peace and war?

All who surrender will be spared,
whoever does not surrender but opposes with struggle and dissension
shall be annihilated.

Genghis Khan

If ~20% of the world’s population uses about 80% of global energy production,
do most with less want more?

If mold continues to multiply after eating half a piece of cheese, what happens when demand exceeds supply?

If we’re the mold and Earth is the cheese, how many need and/or want how much,
where is half way, who’s got what’s left, who gets cut off when,
who will compete with who for what’s left, and how is who most likely to win?

The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency,
the second is war.

Ernest Hemingway

Can mold collectively prevent the procreation of a larger generation
that can’t be fed by the remaining cheese?

If every new beginning is another beginning’s end, where’s the middle?

If US mainland oil discovery peaked in the 1930’s,
leading to a production peak in the early 1970’s,
and world discovery peaked in the 1960’s,
when should global oil production peak?

Think of the Earth as a living organism…being attacked by billions of bacteria,
whose numbers double every forty years.

Gore Vidal

What could happen if many without food, water or energy want the few who have to share?

What could happen if there’s enough food but many can’t afford it,
or some relatively unstable governments can’t provide it?

Only seven meals separate civilization from potential anarchy.

Josette Sheeran
UN World Food Program

Did shortages of arable land and food coincide with many Rwandan Hutus eliminating many Tutsis?

You're captives of a civilizational system
that more or less compels you to go on destroying the world in order to live.

Daniel Quinn
Postulated correlations between population growth
and natural resource consumption

Regulating Our Local Real Estate Lobbyist Group TREBIC Not a Bad Idea.

Headline in Providence, Rhode Island article " Providence could become first RI City to Regulate Lobbyist".

CLICKHERE

Nice to see local politicians who actually are looking out for transparency in government here is a few quotes from article. 

At the state level, lobbyists are required to register with the Secretary of State. But no other city or town has similar requirements, according to the Providence City Clerk’s office.

The current draft of the Providence ordinance would require anyone who is lobbying council members, the mayor, and other city officials—and being paid for that lobbying—to register with the City Clerk. The lobbyists would have to pay a registration fee, likely hundreds of dollars, and file annual reports on their lobbying activities. They could also face hefty fines for not complying with the rules.

Supporters of a proposed ordinance on lobbyists—including Council President Michael Solomon and Finance Chairman John Igliozzi—say the reform would boost accountability and transparency in city government

.


Novel idea and later in article we see that major cities all over this United States already have this in place and it is time for major cities all over North Carolina to do the same.

We have one local lobbyist group by the name of Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition (TREBIC) who are not regulated by anything. They have these annual pigs poultry and politics dinner where local elected officials get in free but should pay their way to a nice dinner with a meet and greet. TREBIC also has meetings or luncheons that they invite local elected politicians to hear what they have to say. To make matters even worse there is a local board in greensboro called the RUCO board which is regulated by the City of Greensboro with a post on July of 2010 titled TREBIC + RUCO = Fox Guarding Hen House CLICKHERE   ,  it was amazing to see the local lobbyist group have the meeting at their place , no such hint of influence there.

This idea for regulating local lobbyist groups might be a long way off but planting the seeds could make this come to reality because as we have seen in the past,  TREBIC wanted to deny the citizens of Greensboro the right to protest petitions CLICKHERE in the zoning process and fought long and hard to no avail. The state legislators were all in agreement that this was a good state law and made Greensboro be like every other municipality in this state and comply with protest petitions. Having the transparency of our local lobbyist groups be regulated on a quarterly basis will make for better government.

 

On RUCO, the PAC and a little Roch Smith on Censorship

If Denise Turner Roth was Vice President for Governmental Affairs

and acted as a lobbyist for the taxpayer funded Greensboro Partnership

which funds TREBIC and is a TREBIC member, along with

Greensboro Builders Association, Greensboro Regional REALTORS© Association,

the Piedmont Triad Apartment Association,

National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP) NC Piedmont Triad Chapter

Brown Investment Properties, Carroll Companies, D.H. Griffin, Keystone Group, Inc.

Koury Corporation, Richardson Corporation, Samet Corporation,

Signature Property Group, Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP,

D. Stone Builders, Inc., Isaacson Isaacson Sheridan & Fountain, Kotis Properties,

NAI Piedmont Triad, Nexsen Pruet, PLLC, Tuggle Duggins & Meschan, P.A.,

Weaver Investment Co., Alliance Management, Inc., Carruthers & Roth,

Greensboro Partnership, Hagan Properties Inc., Lomax Properties, LLC,

Simpson, Schulman & Beard, Starmount Company and Windsor Investments

and TREBIC members include Roy Carroll, Robbie Perkins,

and the Greensboro Parntership gave the Bonds for Schools Committee $70,000

which also gave the Quarter Cent Tax Committee $10,500

whose Greensboro Economic Development Alliance recieves taxpayer money

whose board members include Linda Shaw and Nancy Vaughan

and TREBIC was directly responsible for eliminating RUCO

with taxpayer funds from the Greensboro Partnership

and Robbie Perkins NAI Piedmont, among multiples of other real estate contributors

to Mr. Perkins Mayoral campaign,

should some be sceptical of information

espoused by Robbie's ex-campaign manager on the Performing Arts Center?

If Jon Bell, Bell Partners, Dr. Linda P. Brady, UNCG,

Charles E. Melvin Jr., Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP

Jim Melvin, Joseph M. Bryan Foundation of Greater GSO

Dan Lynch, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance

and Stephen D. Showefty, Koury Corporation

are all on the Greensboro Partnership Board of Directors

and the Greensboro Partnership funds TREBIC which worked to eliminate RUCO,

could many at the Greensboro Partnership represent the 1%?

Prior restraint

Prior restraint or prior censorship is censorship

in which certain material may not be published or communicated...

Prior restraint prevents the censored material

from being heard or distributed at all...

In some countries (e.g., United States, Argentina) prior restraint is forbidden,

subject to certain exceptions, by a constitution.

Prior restraint often takes the form of a legal injunction or government order

prohibiting the publication of a specific document or subject.

Sometimes, a government or other party

becomes aware of a forthcoming publication on a particular subject

and seeks to prevent it: to halt ongoing publication and prevent its resumption.

These injunctions are considered prior restraint

because potential future publications are stopped in advance.

...“Freedom of the Press” is defined as the right to be free from prior restraints.

Every freeman has an undoubted right to lay what sentiments he pleases

before the public; to forbid this, is to destroy the freedom of the press

William Blackstone

Prior restraint, on the other hand,

takes an idea or material completely out of the marketplace.

Thus it is often considered to be the most extreme form of censorship.

A prior restraint, by contrast and by definition,

has an immediate and irreversible sanction.

If it can be said that a threat of criminal or civil sanctions

after publication 'chills' speech, prior restraint 'freezes' it at least for the time.

Wiki, H/T Roch

Dear Roch: "Censorship"

"Censorship is the suppression of speech or other public communication
which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive,
or inconvenient to the general body of people
as determined by a government, media outlet, or other controlling body.

The rationale for censorship is different
for various types of information censored:

Moral censorship is the removal of materials
that are obscene or otherwise considered morally questionable.

Political censorship occurs
when governments hold back information from their citizens.

How many political websites has Roch built

and maintain?

This is often done to exert control over the populace
and prevent free expression that might foment rebellion.

Corporate censorship
is the process by which editors in corporate media outlets
intervene to disrupt the publishing of information
that portrays their business or business partners in a negative light
or intervene to prevent alternate offers from reaching public exposure."

Censorship

In politics, nothing happens by accident.

If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Is it hard to get entrenched economic and political leadership
to understand,
if relative legitimacy depends on not understanding?

Can many believe what they want,

even if what they want to believe isn’t true?

If you choose not to know something,

especially if that something is something you should know,

you are morally blameworthy.

Robert Lawry

Director of the Center for Professional Ethics

Dear George,

"The terms of service of Greensboro 101
require that participants not disrupt the proper operation of the website.

The stream of content coming from Hatrzman's Inquisition
is disrupting the proper operation of Greensboro 101,
littering it with incomprehensible gibberish.

I have disabled it from inclusion on Greensboro 101.

If you are able and willing to start writing comprehensible posts
to Hartzman's Inquisition,
please let me know and I well reinstate it."

Cordially,
Roch Smith, Jr.

Newsbusted is New for 2-18-2011 Please Enjoy The Embedded Video COmpliments of Newsbusters

Newsbusted is new for the weekend of 2-18-2011 please enjoy the embedded video compliments from our friends at newsbusters.

Is Greensboro’s City Council censoring public speech?

Power in America…,
is control of the means of communication.

Theodore White
Political Journalist

"Speakers will have to wait

Starting Jan. 19, folks who want to speak to City Council are going to have to wait their turn.

Mayor Bill Knight will move to “speakers from the floor” portion of the council meetings
from the beginning of the agenda to nearly the end.

This regularly scheduled public comment period is required by state law.

Public boards must allow for at least one half-hour every month
to let the public say whatever they want to the board.

…Councilman Zack Matheny and Councilwoman Trudy Wade liked the idea,
arguing that it would be best to get the city business out of the way first.

But Councilwoman T. Dianne Bellamy-Small
warned it might not be a very good public relations move.

“The message is going to be that we don’t want to hear from people,” she said.
“Yes you put it on the agenda, but it is the very last thing.” "

Amanda Lehmert
Greensboro News & Record, January 5, 2010

Why would Greensboro's City Council want to censor the public?

You Talk To Much

Ed Cone

"Censorship is suppression of speech or other communication
which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient
to the general body of people
as determined by a government, media outlet, or other controlling body.

...Political censorship occurs when governments hold back information from their citizens.

Another version of censorship is the phenomenon of disinformation
which uses "red herrings" to distract people from some other controversial issue.

...This is often done to exert control over the populace
and prevent free expression that might foment rebellion...

Meta censorship - any information about existence of censorship
and the legal basis of the censorship is censored.

Rules of censoring is classified.

Removed texts or phrases are not marked. "

Wikipedia

"Coward

Etymology – From Old French coart, cuard, from coe (“‘tail’”)

The reference seems to be to an animal “turning tail”,
or having its tail between its legs.

...lacks courage.

Synonyms – chicken, gutless wonder, scaredy cat, yellow belly

Derived terms – cowardly, cowardice"

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/coward

Greensboro, Guilford Linkfest while the fam watches DVR'd American Idol: Brown, Guarino, Sykes, Lehmert, Wilkins, Clark and SamH on Hayworth, TREBIC..

Something got messed up.

Sorry.

g

The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started
and know the place for the first time.

T S Eliot

Ringling Brothers Circus Solicits Free Tickets to Greensboro City Council Member Trudy Wade

Greensboro City Council member Dr. Trudy Wade received this fax from FELD Entertainment to receive 2 free tickets to the Circus that was just in town this past week, she did not accept the offer. Now we see the document that goes with  the video CLICKHERE from fellow council member Danny Thompson who wanted to thank fellow council members for giving him their free tickets last year in 2010.

Let's take a look at what has happened all over this country in regards to free tickets and local officials.

LA Ethics Commission votes to ban free tickets to public officials CLICKHERE

Jindal advisors urge ban on free tickets for legislators CLICKHERE

Paterson fined over World Series tickets CLICKHERE

The Battle to keep public officials from accepting free tickets to Iron Bowl was lost but maybe the war was won  CLICKHERE

Free tickets to Arizona school officials raises ethics questions CLICKHERE

Ethics overhaul focuses on free tickets CLICKHERE


Some people will think these solicitation of free circus tickets are petty and don't mean anything but there should not be any instance where a local elected official should take any free ticket to any event . If you want to go to the event then pay your way and show that you did pay.

Newsbusted is New for 2-16-2011 Please Enjoy The Embedded Video Compliments of Newsbusters

Newsbusted is new for 2-16-2011 please enjoy the embedded video compliments from our friends at Newsbusters CLICKHERE

Does Greensboro’s City Council think most of its citizens know more than they ought to?

If they can get you asking the wrong questions,
they don't have to worry about answers.

Thomas Pynchon

"Mayor to push speakers from the floor back

Greensboro Mayor Bill Knight said during a city council briefing today
that at the council's next meeting on Jan. 19 he plans to begin scheduling speakers from the floor
at a time near the end of the meeting.

"Some of the folks that are going to speak from the floor might have to wait for awhile,
but unfortunately people who have business have to wait until 11 o'clock," Matheny said.
"We've got to get back to doing the business of the city.""

Jordan Green
Yes Weekly, January 5, 2010

H. L. Mencken on Greensboro and Guilford County

The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me.

They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government;
they have only a talent for getting and holding office.

Their principal device to that end is to search out groups
who pant and pine for something they can't get and to promise to give it to them.

Like "incentives" to create commercial real estate construction
like the one Robbie Perkins received from Guilford County out on Church Street
or payments to for-profit event promoters
for restaurant and lodging businesses owned by campaign donors?

Nine times out of ten that promise is worth nothing.

The tenth time is made good by looting A to satisfy B.

Like borrowing to build new schools in remote areas for new home builders
and swimming pools for parent votes?

In other words, government is a broker in pillage,
and every election is sort of an advance auction sale of stolen goods.

H. L. Mencken
Via Ken Hill at Guarino

Is Greensboro's City Council intentionally limiting television viewership of "Speakers from the Floor"?

How many Greensboro residents watched "Speakers from the Floor"
when reliably at the beginning of City Council meetings
compared to how many watch "Speakers from the Floor" at the end,
at an unknown time?

Pontius Pilate was the first great censor,
and Jesus Christ the first great victim of censorship.

Ben Lindsey

How often is "Speakers from the Floor"
past many bedtimes?

If there are nine Greensboro City Council members, and it takes five votes to move "Speakers from the floor" back to the beginning of meetings...

The partisan,
when engaged in a dispute,
cares nothing about the rights of the question,
but is anxious only to convince his hearers of his own assertions.

Plato

If there are nine Greensboro City Council members,
and it takes five votes to move "Speakers from the floor" back to the beginning of meetings
who are the five or more that prefer speakers at the end of meetings,
and who are the few who have not brought it up very often?

Without censorship,
things can get terribly confused in the public mind.

William Westmoreland
American military commander, Vietnam, 1964 - 1968
US Army Chief of Staff, 1968 - 1972

Emailed to:

bill.knight@greensboro-nc.gov
nancy.vaughan@greensboro-nc.gov
danny.thompson@greensboro-nc.gov
bellamy.small@greensboro-nc.gov
jim.kee@greensboro-nc.gov
mary.rakestraw@greensboro-nc.gov
trudy.wade@greensboro-nc.gov
robbie.perkins@greensboro-nc.gov
zack.matheny@greensboro-nc.gov

Should a middle school student have to wait what could be long after 11pm, to address Greensboro's City Council on a school night?

My opinions will never change
no matter what the facts are.

Steven Colbert

Newsbusted is New for 2-13-2011 Enjoy The Embedded Video Compliments of Newsbusters

Newsbusted is new for 2-13-2011 please enjoy the embedded video compliments of newsbusters. Here is a link to newsbusters CLICKHERE

Weekend Linkfest: Brown, Killian, Alston, Fox, SamH, Guarino, Pricey, Don Vaughan, PART and Cone on the Greensboro Farmers Market

Greensboro Aquatic Center Budget Numbers Need To Get A Closer Look
After Seeing IFYI

Commissioners blast Fox over City, County negotiation

Guilford’s corrupt county manager

Curb marketing: On the Greensboro Farmers Market

Are Certain State Legislators Going to Help Greensboro Taxpayers
Avoid a Tax Increase?

Who Voted for the Aquatic Center,
and who helped come up with the "economic impact" estimate

Glue factory for Rockingham horse park

PART cuts routes; $20M HQ still on

Allen Johnson on the Horse Park and the Aquatic Center:
Is Allen sure about that?

Teddy Roosevelt, Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt on crony capitalism, Egypt, and the rest of the non-democratic world

Patriotism means to stand by the country.

It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official
save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country.

It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country.

It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent
that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country.

Teddy Roosevelt

Those who give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Ben Franklin

To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile,
but is morally treasonable to the American public.

Teddy Roosevelt

This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it.

Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government,
they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it,
or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it.

Abraham Lincoln

These economic royalists complain that we seek to overthrow the institutions of America.

What they really complain of is that we seek to take away their power.

Our allegiance to American institutions requires the overthrow of this kind of power.

In vain they seek to hide behind the flag and the Constitution.

In their blindness they forget what the flag and the Constitution stand for.

Franklin Roosevelt

Local Real Estate Lobbyist Group Wants To Get Chummy With Greensboro Planning For Western Part of City

REALTORS,



The following is a message from Judy Stalder of TREBIC (jstalder@TREBIC.org), requesting volunteers for a project that is likely to affect all REALTORS. Please contact Stalder at the e-mail address listed above if you have any questions.


Best,





Communications Specialist
GRRA, Inc.
23 Oak Branch Drive
Greensboro, NC 27407
(336) 854-5868


Greensboro Planning, Water Resources and Transportation Departments are beginning the process of preparing a Western Area Plan. The planning staff has requested TREBIC members to join the team working on this plan. This request shows just how important your opinion as a coalition is to the City!


Please let me know if you are interested in participating in the creation of this plan. The Plan will require coordination with Kernersville, High Point and the Piedmont Triad International Airport and take into account the Heart of the Triad Study as well as the PTI Vision Plan, so members that work in the Kernersville and High Point areas may be particularly interested in this project.


PURPOSE/AREA:


The purpose of the Western Area Plan is to identify the best and highest use of properties west of NC 68 and the Piedmont Triad International Airport. The study will also determine how to prepare the study area for future development by identifying infrastructure needs, market trends, regulatory needs and any changes to the City of Greensboro Connections 2025 Comprehensive Plan and/or the Generalized Future Land Use Map (GFLUM).


TIME COMMITMENT:


A citizen information meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 3. The group will meet once a month for 12 to 18 months.


This e-mail was sent from Greensboro Regional Realtors Association (info@grra.org)

________________________________________________________________________________

As you see from the above email from the local lobbyist outfit called the Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition (TREBIC), this was stated:

The planning staff has requested TREBIC members to join the team working on this plan. This request shows just how important your opinion as a coalition is to the City!

This request shows how important the lobbyist are to the city over the citizens of Greensboro that has been pointed out plenty in the past for example:

Stacking The Deck With Developers on Boards and Commissions Greensboro City Council Style, Video Embedded  CLICKHERE


or

Marlene Sanford, Greensboro Partnership, TREBIC= Stacking the Deck on Boards and Commissions CLICKHERE


or

Here is what stack the deck with trebic developers looks like on cat team CLICKHERE

or

TREBIC + RUCO = Fox Guarding Hen House  CLICKHERE


Don't take me for my word on this because we can go back to January 6, 2005 to hear what David Wharton had to say in a post called Blogging TREBIC CLICKHERE

In this post David had this to say;

But this is what TREBIC does, and it's quite up-front about the fact. In a recent half-page ad placed in local builders’ trade publications, titled “What Has TREBIC Done For You Lately?”, the group boasted that it had weakened the RUCO ordinance, the sidewalk ordinance, and local environmental legislation. It claimed it was working hard to place TREBIC supporters in important positions on appointed boards. It also boasted that it had feted members of the City Council and other elected officials at a pig-pickin’ shindig in order to curry their favor.



Gosh, thanks TREBIC

To end this post we also have to remember that sitting  Greensboro Councilman Robbie Perkins and also sitting Greensboro Councilman Zack Matheny a few years back played the land speculation game in regards to this western area of Greensboro with a post on TRIADWATCH titled Highway 68 North + Anonymous Investors + Zack and Robbie = Ethical Problems CLICKHERE  .

Let's see who the players are going to be on this western area plan committee and how much this deck is going to get stacked from our local lobbyist group TREBIC.

White Street Landfill Linkfest of old: Cone, Guarino, SamH, Hoggard and Roch

The once and future dump

Melderec Crowd Already Retreating on White Street Landfill Fight?

Mayor Yvonne Johnson on the White Street Landfill proposal and area development

Weighing the White Street options

Higher rates of cancer around White Street Landfill? Account for race and you may be surprised.
.
Thank you, Yvonne Johnson

Talking Trash

Allen Johnson on the Horse Park and the Aquatic Center: Is Allen sure about that?

Naturally, some commenters to the N&R story
immediately compared the horse park to Greensboro's Aquatics Center;
of course, voters said yes to the swim center bonds.

Allen

What "swim center bonds"?

Didn't the item on the ballot say Parks and Recreation?

If the ballot said Parks and Rec,
why is the swim center at the Coliseum?

Will the Parks and Rec department manage the facility?

Will the operating losses be booked to the Coliseum
or the Parks and Rec Department?

If the pool is now going to cost more than $19.5 million,
and the inaccurately if not fraudulently titled bond on the ballot
was for about $12 million,
did the voters say yes to the extra $7.5 million?

Don't Steal From My Kids.

George Hartzman

White Street Landfill Flashback V: "Greensboro News & Record Editorial on the White Street Landfill from June 28, 2009"

"Editorial: It's a dirty job, but ...

.

Small wonder the City Council seems more eager these days to discuss a new swim center than an old landfill.
.
Talking trash is neither as much fun nor as easy.

.

…the council chose to avoid the most obvious.
.
…the costs and implications of reopening the White Street Landfill."

.

Why would who give whom permission to build and sell new homes near a landfill,

and why did who buy them?

"The landfill opened in 1940.

Further, some of the houses nearest the landfill weren't built until 1990.

If a few purchased relatively inexpensive homes
near a landfill established more than 60 years ago,
why should the many unaffected who may have paid more for their residences
to avoid potential hazards and easements,
be taxed to have trash shipped elsewhere during a recession?

"…the question of where garbage goes and for how much is important
and will affect the lifestyles and pocketbooks here for decades to come…

…cost is particularly pertinent given the ongoing economic downturn
and tightening city budgets."

Should you do what you need to whether you like it or not,
sooner than later?

"…Between July 1, 2008, and May 31 of this year
the city spent $7.67 million using the transfer station…

In terms of pure dollars and cents,
maintaining and expanding the White Street facility remains the least costly option."

Is it hard to get entrenched economic and political leadership to understand,
if relative legitimacy depends on not understanding?

"The council knew this all along.

A 2001 consultant's report projected the White Street option as costing between $3.60 and $4.30 per household, versus $9.40 to $13.30 for "out-of-county disposal," and $26 to $31 for burning and recycling,

…which option serves the greater good?

Further, there is ample room to expand in that area, mostly on land where development is sparse.

Expansion would buy time for even longer-term regional and technological solutions.

Put all of the facts on the table and revisit all of the options.

Ask everything that needs asking while there is time, especially the hardest questions."

Greensboro News and Record Editorial Board, June 28, 2010

Should many well run businesses and educated workers

be attracted by what could be a financially sound well managed municipality

with relatively low tax rates,

as what may be the worst recession since the Great Depression

transitions into a new era of economic growth?

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White Street Landfill Flashback III: Cico and Jim Kee

…The push behind this proposal
is coming from former Greensboro City Councilmember Bob Mays,
who is the project manager of Cico LLC, which has been set up for this project.

...Bob Mays…asked the council ...to issue an RFP
so they could talk to the council about their plans for the entire White Street area
without having to worry about their proprietary information being used by a competitor...

Mays said that in the first year of Cico’s operation of the White Street Landfill,
the city would save $16 million
and would save at least $5 million a year every year after that.

The council discussed holding a special briefing
to hear from Mays and Gilmer but it didn’t appear the votes were there.

John Hammer
Rhino Times, September, 2009

"Councilmen Jim Kee and Danny Thompson called the closed session "to discuss matters relating to the location or expansion of industry or other businesses to the city of Greensboro."

[former city councilmember and CICO "Project Manager] Robert Mays,
who came to the council last week to discuss reopening the White Street Landfill.

Mays wanted ...a confidential conversation with council members about his plans.

Amanda Lehmert
Greensboro News and Record, September 23, 2009

...But some of their colleagues expressed concern about going into the closed session, with the assumption that it would be about CICO Inc.

Didn't Mr. Kee just put Paul Gilmer, who is a CICO partner,
on Greensboro's Zoning Commission?

Isn't most of the land around White Street zoned residential?

The waste-to-energy company Energy-Inc. has said it might bring a manufacturing facility to Greensboro -- if the city partners with local business CICO Inc. to dispose of trash.

What does "partner" mean?

Didn't a former Greensboro mayor
try to "parnter" with a relatively unknown outfit
with $500 million taxpayer dollars?

CICO was slated to present its trash proposal to the council, until the board threw out the bids.

...Perkins and some other council members have argued that any discussions about the city's trash disposal should continue to be held in public.

...Kee recommended the board move the closed session to their next regular meeting date to try to bring it up again.

"We need to vet these companies and not turn down economic development in Greensboro," Kee said."

Amanda

If a few purchased relatively inexpensive homes
near a landfill established more than 60 years ago,
why should the many unaffected, who may have paid more for their residences
to avoid potential hazards and easements
be taxed to have trash shipped elsewhere if tax revenues are falling?

"A 2001 consultant’s report projected the White Street option
as costing between $3.60 and $4.30 per household,
versus $9.40 to $13.30 for “out-of-county disposal,”
and $26 to $31 for burning and recycling

…which option serves the greater good?"

Greensboro News & Record Editorial Board

If the City of Greensboro’s average employee salary is about $50,000,
and the city could not spend about $10,000,000 per year
by reopening the White Street Landfill,
could the Council have to choose between shipping our trash to Montgomery County,
or about 200 city jobs, sooner than later?

Did Greensboro's "press" let Greensboro's Council and backers of the Aquatic Center lie to the public?

"…Yes, some voters feel they were duped into approving the original $12 million earmarked for the project in a 2008 parks and recreation bond package.

…And yes, a concept that began as public/private partnership several years ago somehow has evolved into an almost entirely public venture.

…Michael G. Curran, president of the privately built Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary…questioned its estimated $14 million annual economic impact.

“I’d be surprised if you did half that amount,” he said in an interview.

The Triangle facility generates $5.3 million in economic impact from 35 events annually.

As for operating costs, Curran also offered words of caution. “There’s just a lot of things in a business plan you just don’t think about,” he said.

“I am surprised at what’s being built in Greensboro, and what is being presented,” Curran said of the estimated operating budget of $652,000.

“It makes no sense to me the numbers I’m seeing projected and what we’ve done here. I just don’t see them being met.”

Greensboro News and Record Editorial Board
Sunday, December 20, 2009

Greensboro Editorial Board on Annexation: Taxation without representation?

...municipal annexation powers are worth fighting for.

State laws give cities the ability to grow,
even over the objections of outlying residents who don’t want to pay city taxes and fees.

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

...A key objective of the N.C. League of Municipalities is to preserve that power.

If the City of Greensboro uses taxpayer money
to fund N.C. League of Municipality lobbying for involuntary annexation
of some North Carolina real estate,
should the N.C. League of Municipalities be considered an enemy
of anyone opposing involuntary annexation?

...All council members ought to stand up for annexation authority without apology.

No person shall be ...deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;
nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment V
Bill of Rights
United States Constitution

Cities need the ability to grow, or they can experience the urban decay often seen in states with weak annexation laws.

Why would the Editorial Board make a statement of fact
without providing any statistical evidence or examples of their premise?

...hemmed-in cities can’t extend services required by new businesses and industries.

People who live outside city boundaries take advantage of city employment opportunities and amenities.

True, unless not.

They just don’t pay for the infrastructure that supports them.

True, unless they don't use the "amenities".

...Cities generate jobs.

Don't growing small businesses, low taxes, low debt structures
and competitive costs create jobs?

...Cities also create an environment that favors such assets as
...the coliseum and Greensboro’s downtown scene.

Why would any Guilford County resident want to pay increased taxes
to pay for subsidies to private for profit businesses downtown
a money pit of a new swimming pool,
and what appears to be a mismanaged coliseum complex
around a portion of town the "city" may want to increase taxes even more
to make look nicer to benefit a select few "city" insiders
who may profit from the transfer of public funds into their pockets?

Reviewing annexation laws for possible adjustments may be appropriate,
but a moratorium is an abrupt action that will halt growth in the short term
and create uncertainty
about the future health of a critical North Carolina asset — its cities.

Should a "critical North Carolina asset" be low taxes and debt,
and an ethical playing field for businesses looking to expand or relocate here
instead of unethical, involuntary tax base land grabs?

Greensboro should fight for that.

Greensboro News and Record Editorial Board

Frank Rick on how little we've been informed and misinformed by the mainstream media

"The live feed from Egypt is riveting.

...more often than not we have little or no context for what we’re watching.

That’s the legacy of years of self-censored, superficial, provincial
and at times Islamophobic coverage of the Arab world in a large swath of American news media.

...That we often don’t know as much about the people in these countries
...is a testament to the cutbacks in foreign coverage at many news organizations
and perhaps also to our own desire to escape a war zone
that has for so long sapped American energy, resources and patience.

...there actually is an English-language cable channel — Al Jazeera English
that blankets the region with bureaus and that could have been illuminating Arab life and politics

Al Jazeera English...provided coverage of the 2009 Gaza war and this year’s Tunisian revolt
when no other television networks would or could.

Yet in America, it can be found only in Washington, D.C.,
and on small cable systems in Ohio and Vermont.

None of the biggest American cable and satellite companies
Comcast, DirecTV and Time Warner — offer it.

The noxious domestic political atmosphere fostering this near-blackout is obvious to all.

It was made vivid last week when Bill O’Reilly of Fox News went on a tear about how Al Jazeera English
is “anti-American.”

Unable to watch Al Jazeera English, ...millions of Americans last week tracked down the network’s Internet stream...

Such was the work-around required by the censorship practiced by America’s corporate gatekeepers.

You’d almost think these news-starved Americans were Iron Curtain citizens
clandestinely trying to pull in the jammed Voice of America signal in the 1950s
— or Egyptians desperately seeking Al Jazeera after Mubarak disrupted its signal last week.

...Given the disconnect between America and the Arab world,
it’s no wonder that Americans are invested in the fights for freedom in Egypt
and its neighboring dictatorships only up to a point.

We’ve been inculcated to assume that whoever comes out on top is ipso facto a jihadist."

Frank Rich

Greensboro Aquatic Center Budget Numbers Need To Get A Closer Look After Seeing IFYI

This is from a post back on November 23, 2009 at Guarino's blog titled "The Greensboro Aquatic Center Boondoggle" CLICKHERE

this post is from the e news from city of greensboro so in future we can come back to this post to look at what the city had to say. here is the quote



"Council fills aquatic center funding gap with hotel-motel tax funds.


At its regular meeting on Tuesday, November 17, City Council voted to fill the $6.1 million funding gap necessary to build the aquatic center at the Greensboro Coliseum with existing and future hotel-motel tax funds.


The total cost to construct the center is $16.7 million. The large majority of it will be funded with a $12 million voter-approved bond, $1.4 million of which has already been used for the center's design.

After some Council members expressed concern about funding for other Coliseum projects, Council called a special meeting for Tuesday, December 1, at 4 pm, before its regularly scheduled meeting, to conduct a public hearing on financing improvements to the Greensboro War Memorial Coliseum Complex and discuss other Coliseum-related matters. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers of the Melvin Municipal Office Building, 300 W. Washington St."


Let's see how close they come to the 16.7 million dollars, my guess is it will top 19 million.Prove me wrong robbie and zack

IFYI 02.04.11 Greensboro N.C>


Now take a look at the above ifyi from the Greensboro City Manager which has a memo on page 4 from finance director Richard Lusk on the proposed 2011-2012 bond projects . You can see under the 2008 bonds it has a bullet point for Aquatic Center- 6.0 million for the completion of the project which is under construction and currently scheduled to be completed and opened July 2011: total project budget is 19.548 million.

Where did this 19.548 million dollar number come from because as you can see from the guarino post which was taken right from the city e newsletter it was going to cost 16.7 million to construct in fall of 2009 . Then we see that the new council approves it at a cost of 18.8 million as stated below from the Greensboro News and Record on  May 5, 2010.

"For others, the groundbreaking marks the start of tangible results after the push to pass a bond worth $12 million and add another $7 million in hotel and motel tax revenue to erect the $18.8 million public facility."

So now we have it jump from 16.7 million in 2009 to 18.8 million in 2010 to now see it go to 19.548 million in the latest ifyi information from the City Manager Rashad Young. How far will this number go up?  Only time will tell but wait for the cost overruns to become a factor.

White Street Landfill Flashback II: Should the proponents of keeping the landfill closed justify the costs?

"Greensboro could save about $100 million over the next 25 years by using the White Street Landfill according to an independent analyst...

...Mayor Bill Knight, a retired certified public accountant announced earlier this year that his figures showed the city would save over $7 million a year by using the White Street Landfill instead of shipping all of our garbage to the Uwharries. If you take Knight's number and multiply it out you come up with a minimum savings over 25 years of $175 million...

How would Greensboro's residents to know if reopening the landfill is a good idea,

if the City of Greensboro refuses to release basic financial information to the public?

...The estimated savings of $100 million was based on an extremely conservative estimate of costs increasing at 1 percent a year. The cost of landfill space is skyrocketing.

If landfill costs have almost never gone higher by less than 1%

why would Rashad Young or his subordinates

accept and present a landfill savings analysis based on unrealistic assumptions?
.

Has the Greensboro News & Record, Yes Weekly or any TV stations

reported the $175 million figure,

or the possible manipulation of the analysts data?

...One of the recurring themes of the meeting voiced by Council members Dianne Bellamy-Small, Jim Kee and Robbie Perkins was that the landfill should not be reopened...
.

If a few purchased relatively inexpensive homes

near a landfill established more than 60 years ago,

why should the many unaffected who may have paid more for their residences

to avoid potential hazards and easements,

be taxed to have trash shipped elsewhere during a recession?
.

Why would Robbie Perkins vehemently oppose a policy

that could save the city about $175 million over 25 years?

...both Knight and Council member Danny Thompson said they did not think reopening the landfill was off the table.

How could a majority of Greensboro taxpayers feel about what could be

Mr. Perkins willingness to exchange about $175 million of other people's property taxes

for the chance to become Greensboro's Mayor?

...The consultant reminded the City Council that when the city operated the landfill that the city charged private haulers for dumping their garbage at the landfill, but the city trucks were not charged because the fees from the private haulers covered the cost of operating the landfill.
.

Why would Mr. Perkins put his personal political interests

above those of the majority of Greensboro taxpayers and their children?

One former city council member, who was asked about the landfill operation before the meeting, remembered the landfill fund balance was a place the council went when it needed money because the landfill operated at a considerable profit.

John Hammer
Rhino Times

If many well run businesses and educated workers could be attracted by what could be

a financially sound well managed municipality with relatively low tax rates,

as what may be the worst recession since the Great Depression

transitions into a new era of economic growth,

why would Robbie Perkins want to not do what's best for the City of Greensboro?

White Street Landfill Flashback: Johnson and Perkins

"I’m very open to anything that will boost the tax base.”

At what cost?

Like a Swimmer Aquarium,
paid for with borrowed money?

Like a $500 million trash incinerator,
paid for with borrowed money?

Johnson took a critical stance against one of her successor’s initiatives.

“It’s very disturbing to me to have changed, and put speakers-from-the floor last [in the meeting agenda],” she said. “These are the people we serve. Thirty minutes, to me, is a very short time to listen. It’s disrespectful to put them at the end. That’s annoyed me, and I didn’t like that. If I’m elected, I certainly would work to change that.”

Agreed.

Johnson is a longtime political ally of Perkins, and would be considered a reliable member of his voting bloc should he succeed in his quest for the mayor’s seat.

Why did Robbie just advocate for a $13 million road by Nealtown,
while the City of Greensboro may get hit by what could be
a $15 to $25 million cut from the state for 2011/12

as Guilford County Schools may take a $37 million hit
while Guilford County could lose about $20 million

out of what could be a more than $80 million shortfall?

And as the city’s first and only African-American mayor, Johnson’s inclusion on the ballot would likely boost turnout in east Greensboro, where Perkins has traditionally performed well with voters.

Didn't Yvonne push for the reopening of the White Street Landfill
with a $500 million incinerator?

The pair’s opposition to the reopening of the White Street Landfill — an issue identified by two sitting members as a top priority this year...is likely to heighten interest in the election.

Didn't Robbie, Zack, Yvonne and Dianne
vote to place $205,000 of increased debt of 2008's ballot?

Didn't Robbie, Zack, Yvonne and Dianne vote to not borrow the money
until the economy recovered?

“People think we’ll save much more money than we will,” Johnson said.

Where are the numbers that say the city will save money?

Where are the numbers that say the city will save less?

Shouldn't reporters disclose material information relative to what candidates are espousing?

“There’s partial information because opening new cells is extremely expensive.

How expensive?

I think we ought to be developing a regional solution.

How much would a regional solution cost?

I am for waste to-energy; that hasn’t changed.”"

Jordan Green

If $18 million in Greensboro cuts means 360 lost city jobs, should the terminated employees get free passes to the Aquatic and Science Centers?

Not only do…people reach erroneous conclusions
and make unfortunate choices,
but their incompetence robs them of the…ability to realize it.

The person so afflicted is incapable of knowing that he is incompetent.

Justin Kruger and David Dunning
Unskilled and Unaware of It

$18 million / $50,000 average salary = 360 City of Greensboro jobs

White Street Landfill Flashback IV: "$500 million to build a pipe dream out at the White Street landfill"

Why would legitimate businesses offering good paying jobs,

looking to relocate to Greensboro,

want to move to a city that openly considers

what could eventually be massive tax increases?
.

"The stupidity of the special City Council briefing ...cannot be exaggerated.

…representatives of Ulturnagen (which according to their own testimony has never done anything like this), with the aid of $500 million from Greensboro, was going to take Greensboro's garbage and turn it into a host of saleable items…if Greensboro were willing to pay for the construction, take all the financial risks, waive all the fees and permits and build high tech asphalt and concrete plants on the site, then [Ulturnagen] would be willing to share a portion of the profits with Greensboro.

...During the period from January, when the council traditionally holds a weekend retreat, to June, when the council passed the budget, the mayor never managed to schedule a council retreat or, for that matter, hold a comprehensive discussion of the budget.

But when a bunch of guys put together a limited liability corporation to turn garbage into cash, then the City Council has to call a special meeting to discuss whether or not to give them $500 million to build a pipe dream out at the White Street landfill.

…Greensboro is struggling to get by on less revenue because of the economic downturn. So the idea that the city could just decide to spend $500 million on a startup company, and technology that is not being used by any other city that the principals of this company could name in the world, is beyond belief.

Also consider the $75 million hotel on Lee Street, where Johnson was so hot to get to Washington to help a woman raise $75 million for a $75 million project that she had to fly up there on a private jet. Did anyone notice that when the free trip to Washington was taken off the table there was no effort to take a commercial flight or even drive?"

No Pots Of Gold In White Street Garbage
John Hammer
Rhinoceros Times, July 30, 2009

John R. Taylor, Jr. on the world

...the tables seem to be turning on the West.

As education has become almost universal, knowledge, intellectual expertise, and competent labor
have become less expensive and less valuable as a result.

...Today the western world is losing its advantage in knowledge, labor, and capital.

With communication now global and historically inexpensive, more and more trade, and growth,
does not have to pass through developed world ports or phone systems.

Because the playing field has become level for the first time in history, we would argue that,
at this time in history, the battle has shifted to raw materials.

If we assume that today's critical resources are gas, oil, agricultural output, and rare earths,
Europe is totally out in the cold and the US is supported only by its strength in food production.

...the scramble for scarce resources should impact economic cycles and growth in the decades ahead.

...Food, not oil, has been the primary focus of this recent inflation scare,
and the trend of climbing prices actually seems to be accelerating.

The tight supply status in many critical commodities, plus the recent weather foibles around the world,
should keep this move intact until the global economy turns down, dropping demand.

The increase in headline inflation should also turn the global economy down.

Not only does the cost of food and fuel drop the demand for manufactured goods, clothing, and leisure activities,
but it could convince the ECB and other central banks to raise interest rates.

John R. Taylor, Jr.
Chief Investment Officer, FX Concepts, February 3, 2011

Newsbusted is New for the Weekend Please Enjoy The Embedded Video from Newsbusters

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"Greensboro won't take Guilford tax collection deal": Is Guilford County going to be responsible for eliminating what could be about 47 City jobs?

"Greensboro officials declared Thursday they will collect their own taxes starting this year,
even though it will mean paying more to do so...

...This year, Greensboro paid the county $405,000 to collect city property taxes...

Instead, the city will now spend an estimated $1.9 million for the first
year and $910,000 in future years.

If $910,000 / 2 = $455,000 per year total cost for a joint mailing,
is Guilford County going to force the City of Greensboro to spend $2,355,000
to collect seperately,

while tax revenues fall and North Carolina makes deep cuts?

.
“We certainly hate to spend the money, especially this year.

But we can’t continue to be extorted,” Councilwoman Nancy Vaughan said.

What could happen if a generation of underemployed, underpaid,
educated and indebted young adults
become disillusioned by their elders’ financial mismanagement,
and seek to identify and punish those responsible?

Vaughan, who sat in on some of those meeting,
said it was clear from the beginning the county wasn’t willing to negotiate.

...Councilman Zack Matheny said he wants residents to know
the county forced them into this position.

I printed my tax bill and I am going to show it.

This line right here, that says county and Greensboro.

One stamp, one bill.

That is already being done.

The county is wanting to charge a million dollars more to the city of Greensboro
to do something they are already doing.

Zack Matheny

When informed of the city’s decision Thursday night,
some county commissioners expressed disbelief that the decision...was official.

Others were angered.

It’s their right to collect their own taxes if they want to.

$2,355,000 / $50,000 annual salary = 47.1 City of Greensboro jobs

But their staff can’t direct the commissioners to act,
we’re not going to just make a decision now because they think we should.

Melvin “Skip” Alston
Guilford County Commission Chairman

Don't Steal From My Kids

George Hartzman

Jack and Jill

Man is the only animal
that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat,
until he eats them.

Samuel Butler