Part III Of A Series
It seems every community has their own “breakfast club” where the local movers, shakers, and shapers get together over coffee and/or breakfast discussing the issues of the day. In Wadesboro, Anson County, NC for years, one of these “breakfast clubs” met each Monday through Friday at the Hub Restaurant on US Highway 74 on the west side of Wadesboro. Before becoming disabled, I would, every four to six months, leave my Union County, NC community to visit the Hub Restaurant and their local “breakfast club” just to inquire as to what was happening educationally, economically, and politically. My objective was to offer a more positive outlook on Anson County.
Then, as well of now, Anson County, NC unfortunately, has one of the lowest performing school system in North Carolina, according NC School Report Cards http://www.ncreportcards.com/src/.
In high school performance, Anson County is performing at from 41% to 81% of the state level with an average of 66.8%. With these factual results, is there any reason why Wake County Superior Court Judge Howard Manning, Jr. would consider taking over the Anson County Schools and placing it with the NC Judiciary to operate?
Anson County is one of the poorest counties economically in the entire state, according to the US Government Census http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states. The results are:
Anson County issued 60 building permits in year 2005.
Union County issued 3,972 building permits in year 2005.
The median household income, 2004 in Anson County was $29,320.
The median household income, 2004 in Union County was $56,218.
What has Rep. Pryor Gibson done in the NC General Assembly in his more than sixteen years of service or as Chairman of the Anson County Democrat Party to reduce the flight of the Anson County graduated high school and college talent? What has happened to any educational improvement and/or expanding economy in Anson County? Are these educational and/or economic failures due to the leadership? Anson County’s and Union County’s citizens deserve more than what they are getting from District 69 representation. When will they change? It is their choice.
Prior to 1984, Union County’s political process was dominated by the Democrat Party. In 1984, our Union County GOP commission nominees were headed by former Anson County natives Attorney Larry Harrington of Lilesville, NC, and Bill Davis of the Sugartown community just outside of Polkton, NC.
Both, Larry Harrington and Bill Davis were elected to the Union County Commission for the first time in modern history. Commissioners Harrington, Davis, and Democrat commissioners corrected a few wrongs within our local government, and working with the Democrat majority, guided the UC Board of Commissioners and started the development of the now countywide EMS. At the time, all ambulances with first aid training were operated by the City of Monroe. We thank the City of Monroe as it was the City of Monroe taxpayers, if I correctly remember, who funded almost the entire earlier system. Beyond that, volunteers in some three VFDs did fund, supply, and operate ambulance services with some limited medical training. These somewhat rural volunteers must be remembered and thanked for their personal time and money to train, supply, and operate these volunteer ambulance services. Union County still relies on volunteers for their services in the EMS system. They must be thanked daily for their service.
Politically speaking, most of all, Larry Harrington and Bill Davis moved the Democrat majority of the UC Board of Commissioners to more adequately fund our local educational system, yet controlling growth in taxes. That is when the voters of UC then started voting Republican consistently. From that date, the voters have not turned back. They continue to vote for the leadership of the Union County GOP candidates.
Earlier this year, Rep. Pryor Gibson (D-Anson) introduced and pushed new legislation through the NC General Assembly changing the election process of Union County Commissioners. Rep. Gibson’s legislation was opposed by all three other members of Union County’s General Assembly legislators and all five UC Commissioners. Rep. Pryor Gibson represents District 69 in the NC House of Representatives, which covers all of Anson County, NC and a smaller part of eastern Union County, NC.
Anson County Commissioners are represented by seven (7) individuals by distinct district. Voters can vote for only one of the seven commissioners elected by district only.
Union County Commissioners are represented by five (5) individuals representing all the citizens of Union County. Each voter has the right to vote for “all” five commissioners.
District representation creates multiple divisions within our local communities. Collective representation creates unison.
Why should Union County voters choose to change their election of commissioners from five to seven if each voter is to be allowed to vote for only three out of seven commissioners (one by district and two at large) rather than all? Each voter in Union County would lose a majority of their representation on the UC Commission. Anson County may choose to change and allow all their voters to vote for all their representatives on the Commission. A different elective system, a legislative representation, and/or political party in Anson County may lead to a more aggressive educational improvement and economic growth for its people.
On November 6, vote “NO” to District Representation.
Sincerely,
Oscar Y. Harward
oharward@carolina.rr.com
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