Some of the commissioners, apparently looking to bolster their political careers, felt it more vital to cut the property tax rate than to provide adequate funding to one of this county’s greatest assets.
Where was the public outcry to lower taxes? All along, the commissioners had made it clear that they wanted to hold the line on property taxes. Not one of them ever uttered a word, at least in public, about cutting them. Commissioner Tim Lea said he felt fellow Commissioner Michael Holden was seeking to boost his re-election chances next year, and it looks like he was right. Holden does have some fence-mending to do with his Pinehurst constituency — especially after pulling the rug out from under them on the water system purchase deal.
Saving property owners a few bucks is nice, but it hardly seems worth it in the long run considering the impact on the college, which enjoys a reputation as one of the best anywhere, and whose programs are so important to economic development in Moore County.
The budget that County Manager Steve Wyatt submitted to the commissioners last month gave the college $300,000 less than it requested. If the county failed to provide the $300,000, the college has said it might be forced to close four buildings — Causey Hall, Blue Hall, the Visitors Center for the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens and Westmoore campus. We hope no such drastic action will be necessary, but the college clearly has some severe belt-tightening to do.
SCC demonstrated its need for a double-digit budget increase this year to cover the higher costs to operate two major buildings that will go on line in the new fiscal year — the Dempsey Student Center, which opens Friday, and Little Hall. Moore County taxpayers approved paying for these buildings through bonds, so there should be no question that the public supports them, and by implication the higher costs they entail.
Commissioner Virginia Saunders, who joined Holden and board Chairman David Cummings in voting for the reduced budget, said during an earlier meeting that she would prefer that the college not close the Westmoore campus. That is not her call, at least directly. That is a decision the college will ultimately have to make, based on an examination of priorities.
Speaking of priorities, the commissioners’ vote on Monday looked like a case of getting them out of order.
