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/327492
4 JUNE 11-17, 2014 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM High 91º Low 70º PM Thunderstorms As you read this article, please note it was written last week so I have no idea where we stand on the great Fayetteville City Council budget debate on how much of a tax increase Fayetteville citizens will shoulder. However, I was pleased they agreed to hold two more meetings to discuss the options. Ahhhh, the art of compromise! Hey, after all, devising a $200+ million spending plan takes time and consideration one would think. So, what do we citizens know for sure? Maybe four things: One: Crime is our #1 concern. Two: Citizens are willing to pay for more officers, security and safety. Three: Citizens are not at all sure of anything else. Four: City Manager Ted Voorhees' proposed budget has an extreme amount of non essential fat in it that he defends vigorously. It was encouraging to me that two of the four freshmen councilmen, Kathy Jensen and Mitch Colvin, agreed to a smaller increase if the money went to hiring more police officers. I admire that, but, why have any increase at all? Also puzzling to many is why the other two council newbies, Chalmers McDougald and Larry Wright, resist the history, logic and experience of respected and seasoned council members like Ted Mohn, Bill Crisp and Jim Arp. Another major puzzlement is the obvious lack of transparency in the creation and presentation of the proposed budget. From where I am standing, Fayetteville citizens just don't have the facts about how their tax dollars are being spent and the state of the city's finances. If they did, they would know that an $8 storm water and solid waste fee is actually a "tax." More importantly, they would ask where the city has spent the $2 million plus each year that was earmarked for 48 unfilled city positions. Yes, transparency is a major concern. Why else would local residents form a political action committee (Independent Voters Coalition) and launch a last minute telephone campaign in an effort to inform the public that unless their council representative (Bobby Hurst) has done his due diligence on Voorhees' budget proposal they could very well be voting in a tax increase that is unwarranted, unjustified and ill conceived. Yes, this could happen, and, it would be irreversible. Of course, Voorhees initial reaction to the PAC's fiscal S.O.S., as reported in the Fayetteville Observer, was to call them all liars. Hmmmm? Not a very good strategy for building consensus. Well, we'll see. Here's what I know for sure: Crime prevention is the number one priority. Fund it. City employees (except management) deserve a pay increase. Fund it. Any other needs in the proposed budget — PROVE IT! A special thanks to Mike Chandler and the Independent Voters Coalition for attempting to enlighten Fayetteville citizens on the facts and the issues. Transparency. Nothing to fear here, but the unknown. Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly. Vote Yes for Truth, Transparency and Due Diligence by BILL BOWMAN STAFF Calendar.......................................12 Concert.Connection....................18 Free.Wheelin'.Feelin'...................19 Horoscopes/Advice.Goddess.....20. Games..........................................21 Classifieds....................................22. INSIDE PUBLISHER'S PEN PUBLISHER Bill Bowman Bill@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Janice Burton editor@upandcomingweekly.com OPERATIONS OFFICER Jerred Sanders accounting@upandcomingweekly.com EDITOR Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com ART DIRECTOR Alicia Miller art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS D.G. Martin, Pitt Dickey, Margaret Dickson, John Hood, Erinn Crider, Shanessa Fenner, Heather Griffiths DISTRIBUTION MANAGER/ OFFICE COORDINATOR Laurel Handforth laurel@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Aurora Alexander aurora@upandcomingweekly.com Linda McAlister Brown linda@upandcomingweekly.com Kristy Sykes kristy@upandcomingweekly.com Beverly Pone beverlypone@upandcomingweekly.com ––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a "Quality of Life" publication with local features, news and infor- mation on what's happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per per- son. Subscriptions can be purchased for $30 for six months or $60 for 12 months, delivered weekly by first class mail. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. High 87° Low 70° Thunderstorms 7 Forecast available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Monday June 16 Tuesday June 17 High 87° Low 70° Thunderstorms 24 / Thursday June 12 High 92° Low 69° Scattered Thunderstorms High 88° Low 69° Showers High 90º Low 69º PM Thunderstorms Friday June 13 Saturday June 14 Sunday June 15 Fayetteville's Weather Forecast Call 910.354.1679 BILL BOWMAN, Publisher, Up & Coming Weekly. COMMENTS? BILL@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200.