Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1482573
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 1, 2022 UCW 9 We recently attended one of the city's bond referendum sessions. It was a PowerPoint briefing which basi- cally reiterated the points in the city's current web page. From our perspective, it was a check -the-block, we informed the citizens, pat ourselves on the back, presen- tation. It was not a meeting where citizens could bring up concerns for city representatives to address. e primary issue of the meeting was to inform the citizenry regard- ing needed housing, emergency services and city infrastructure. What this session didn't do was explain to Fayetteville what the economic impacts of these bonds are, why they weren't addressed in previous city budgets, who is accountable for ac- cumulated funds, and who is receiv- ing these funds should the bonds be approved. None of the recent city budgets on record go into a by-line-item review or detailed explanation of where or to whom any of the city's money is directly going. e city officials and representatives at the meetings could provide no answers. e Public Safety Improvement Bond addresses the needed improve- ments to the 911 call center and city fire stations. ese have had critical needs beyond just the last few years. When asked when those were first identified as a requirement, the 911 representative stated that since she's been there for over 20 years, it was initially identified 28 years ago. e fire chief stated that with the increasing radius of the city that they require additional fire stations with those increases. en why weren't these issues addressed and budgeted in the last 10 years of budgets at a rate of $97 million divided by 10? Instead, we get watershed studies at the cost of $3.5 million per year. In regard to the $12 million afford- able housing bond, this bond will be used to incorporate stop gap loans for developers that cannot get a loan for the total amount of their develop- ment. e city will cover the deficit and the developer will repay the city. We asked what happens to the money they repay each time it is used, and how is it quantified and when does it come back to the people? City officials were ambiguous on whether it would even go back to the people or how it was accounted for after the devel- oper paid it back. is sounds like an agenda slush fund to us. Another portion of the $12 million, unidentified as the exact amount, would be going to down payment assistance for citizens in the city to purchase a house. So to clarify, the city is asking residents to give the city money so the city can then give forgiv- able loans to other residents to help them with down payments that the city will then forgive if they stay in that house for a set amount of time. e amount of down payment assistance would be the difference be- tween the purchase price of the house in order to get it down to a no more than 30% of income based payment. ere is no grandfather clause in the program to offset homeowners that saved to purchase a house prior to this bond program. How does it help current homeowners that are strug- gling to keep their house? Again, no response from city officials. We further outline that a greater percentage of residents in the city were struggling just to maintain their house and there was no program to help them keep their mortgage afloat. e city officials should answer this question publicly: Is it right to take millions of more dollars from taxpay- ers who can't even put food on the table? We have charities now support- ing other charities and city leaders are talking about building castles and infrastructure. After the meetings, we are more convinced that the $97 million bond will have a lack of oversight and enough holes in the program for whomever wants to move money around, to easily move money around. After listening to the city's deliber- ate propaganda, if any of you want a better city, you must fight for it. If we had not attended the meetings, it would have been a one-sided conver- sation. Not everyone in Fayetteville lives in a gated community and can afford a tax increase. How about let- ting people keep enough of their tax money so they can eat? Take a stand and vote NO on the bond referendums. — Robert Walls, Alex Rodriguez, Dr. Fred Caruso Vote No on city's bond referendums FREE HEALTH CARE • for Eligible uninsured Adults call 910.485.0555 Stephen A McDavid Financial Advisor 422 Mc Arthur Rd First Floor Fayetteville, NC 28311 910-488-3699 LETTER TO THE EDITOR