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: https://www.epageflip.net/i/20237
Post Election Questions from the West by D.G. MARTIN With the hard-charged atmosphere of the 2010 election fading away, what do we do now? We can remember two things: (1) Elections make a difference, but (2) they don’t change things all at once or all that much. North Carolinians looking for changes for the better will still be de- manding help from their government. For example, take a look at some of the questions submitted for con- sideration at an Economic Summit this month in Asheville sponsored by Advantage West, a regional economic development partnership serving 23 western counties in North Carolina. Advantage West recruited a group of prominent North Carolinians to respond to their questions, including Lt. Governor Walter Dalton, State Treasurer Janet Cowell, Institute for Emerging Issues Director Anita Brown- Graham, and banking leader Austin Adams. As the moderator of this distinguished group, my job was to sort out, summarize and present questions that had been submitted by people from across the mountain region. I was not surprised that there were a lot of questions about government policy and possible action, given the composition of the panel. For instance: • Are the state’s educational programs diverse enough to support the needs of a changing employment direction? • Since recovery is going to be slower, have the state’s economic devel- opment officials considered identifying those industries that have both the strongest potential for growth and future employment and therefore give greater assistance to them (rather than applying an equal policy of assis- tance)? • With austerity becoming the new governmental mindset, should North Carolina raise taxes on tobacco and alcohol to levels more in line with our neighboring states? • Would lowering the Corporate Tax Rate in North Carolina encourage business to locate in the state? Include Us In Your Workout! Come in, show us your gym membership card and receive a FREE* Class of Your Choice! The Possibilities are Endless with Strength of Mind & Body Pilates OF FAYETTEVILLE For information & schedule: pilatesoffayetteville.com (910) 484-2163 • 4145 Ferncreek Drive *New clients 20 UCW NOVEMBER 24-30, 2010 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM • Should North Carolina consider rolling furloughs for state employ- ees? A month? A week? • Why is the state “missing the boat legislatively” to support the devel- oping solar power, wind and hydro industries that are struggling to develop these technologies in the West and other parts of the state? • If the new Republican majorities in the state legislature forget that they will be held accountable, this question should remind them: “Our state legislature has changed. We have a window of opportunity to give them a challenge. What should we ask them to do to bring JOBS to Western N.C.?” Other thoughtful questions raised hopeful possibilities for the region. • Former UNC-Asheville Chancellor David Brown asked, “Is it realistic for WNC to aspire to become the Integrative Health apex in the nation?” • With the region already showing itself to be “an outstanding location for companies involved in the advanced manufacturing sector” what must it do to recruit projects of sizable employment and investment like the BMW, VW, and Boeing sites that were lured to surrounding regions? • How can the region build on the momentum created by several new data center projects that have been attracted to the region? One series of questions and comments by business leader Mack Pearsall haunts me and ought to be on the mind of every American: “Has the American democratic capitalist system evolved in the global economy to where it can create wealth — but not jobs in large [enough] numbers to replace the millions lost? One should remember that our government, large or small, is funded by tax on income, not wealth. If that is the case, what is the future for the American middle class as we have come to know it? What can we in Western NC do to revitalize our middle class and give it another shot at economic prosperity?” D.G. MARTIN, Columnist COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@upandcomingweekly.com