COUNTY ZONING AGAIN

There will be a meeting of the Land Use Management Committee tomorrow morning, 19 February, in the basement of the Courthouse Annex (Suntrust Bank). According to the County Executive's office this meeting is to implement the county's land use management plan (county wide zoning). This plan, as written, will greatly restrict new businesses throughout the county. It will inhibit enterprise and concentrate even more control into the hands of the few well connected and political insiders. This county- wide zoning under the control of the county executive and a few commissioners will ultimately determine what you can and can't do on your own land. For more information on the plan, as well as the history of the long standing fight for our country's freedom go to kendrickmcpeters.com.

FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS TO GO FROM PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS TO HILLSIDE!!!

At the Ambulance Committee meeting this morning a complaint was stated by Commissioner Pollard that a citizen was charged $400.00 to have an ambulance take him from the Physicians and Surgeons office on Cedar Line to Hillside Hospital. Even at the standard $10.00 a mile rate that seems excessive. No one including Mr. Roy Griggs was able to explain why this was? Hopefully by the next meeting there will be some explanation.
Also at the meeting it was announced that the Ambulance Service lost $273,000.00 this past year. Later in the meeting it was stated that the total budget for the Ambulance Service was 2.059 million dollars ($.20 of every tax dollar goes to the Ambulance Service) now only between 1.4 and 1.5 million was collected thus with a bit of quick math over half a million dollars was actually lost not the $273,000.00 that was originally mentioned.
With the failing economy and rising expenses associated with this service isn't it about time to seriously consider selling it to a private company as many surrounding counties have done? This would take a huge drain off the county budget and actually increase the tax base.