Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 19:33:14 -0400
From: virginia penley
Subject: GOP Commissioners Do the Minimum: That’s Just Fine?
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2014 22:18:17 -0400
Subject: More What’s up.
“Welcome to Chatham County: we do just enough to get buy. If you want investments like crosswalks, forget it, that’s frivolous.” – Virginia Penley, Democrat BOC supporter, Aug. 3rd 2014 chatlist
Ms. Penley’s posts make the accusation that Chatham’s Conservative commissioners are compromising public safety because they won’t take more money from the the citizens to buy enough white paint to put down two straight lines. But when Pittsboro’s 15/501 was repaved, Pittsboro wanted to install $90,000 decorative crosswalks and wanted county taxpayers to pay for half of it.
I really pity the democrat candidates. They want to run against congress, or the general assembly, but unfortunately they are running against conservative candidates that are running on their record because they are proud of it.
So if you want $90,000 crosswalks, vote for the democrat candidates.
If you want common sense government,
Return BOCK-STEWART-PETTY
-mud
Last week a local supporter of the current GOP-majority, “Muddylaces†responded to my post regarding the GOP-majority, their record over the last four years and governing style for Chatham County.
His main defense was that the Democrats are “…running against conservative candidates that are running on their record because they are proud of it.â€
So I assume from his statement that the GOP is proud of doing the minimum.
Ironically, the progressive and liberal GOP of Lincoln, John Sherman, Teddy Rooselveldt (TDR) and others did not accept the minimum and actively tried to intrevene and make our country better.
When the modern GOP claims kinship with Lincoln they conveniently forget that the “party of Lincoln†ceased to exist a long time ago as did the party of TDR and Dwight Eisenhower.
Those leaders busted trusts, looked out for the little guy, built the federal highway system and warned Americans about the dangers of the military-industrial complex. They did not settle for the minimum.
Telling the world that the current crop of leaders in our county is “conservative†and “proud of it†tells me that they will put their ideology above what is best for the county and its future.
The crosswalks in Pittsboro were cited as an example, because the county was asked to invest in Pittsboro and help install decorative crosswalks on the circle and on Hillsboro Street. The County and the Town would have split the cost 50/50 and the citizens of Pittsboro and the County would have received attractive and safe cross-walks that “Main Street Towns†across the state typically install to improve public safety and make the community more attractive and better places to live.
Unfortunately, the County leadership declined to invest in a “Main Street†idea that the NC Department of Commerce has endorsed and supported for years.
Teddy Roosevelt initiated the concept of investing in National Parks, putting land aside for use by the people for recreation and beauty. The former Democratic Commissioners did the same, investing in land and creating county parks in the Northeast, Northwest and Southwest District Parks. The current GOP commissioners do not believe in doing anything more than the absolute minimum for Chatham County, calling that common sense government, and their record the last four years show that clearly.
Instead we hear squawking about conservative values and frivolous expenditures, which is an attitude I don’t understand. We live in a time where homeowners are constantly beautifying and investing in their own homes. Goldston, Pittsboro, Siler City and the rest of the hamlets across this great county are in effect our homes. Why on earth would our leadership being so proud of failing to invest in our “homes†?
So I guess the lesson is if you want governance that does just enough to “get buy†and takes it cue from “Scrooge†in the Christmas Carol vote for the status quo; however, if you have “Great Expectations†for Chatham County then vote to make a change this fall and you might be able to get your “Dickens fix†from a new bookmobile, too.
Virginia Penley