Viewpoints
Telephone task force
carried out duty well
A delegation of local residents did a good job representing Hoke
County Monday when testifying before the North Carolina Utilities
Commission on Monday.
The group, which was under the leadership of Economic
Developer John Howard, was well prepared and testified to perti
nent facts concerning extending local telephone service from Fayet
teville to Raeford.
The issue of the service is vital to the economic survival of Hoke
County, and members of the group took time from busy schedules
to plead their cases before the commissioners.
The role of the local delegation was to support a recommendation
by the commission's public staff to hold a public hearing in Raeford
on September 10 and to require Carolina Telephone to determine
the costs of establishing EAS.
Each member argued a convincing and enthusiastic case before
the commissioners without straying from the facts or outside the
allotted time frame.
If the utility commissioners vote against Hoke County, their deci
sion will not be an easy one because of the expert job done by the
local group.
Those who fought Hoke County's case in Raleigh on Monday
deserve the support and thanks of all who live in this community.
It is efforts like theirs which bring hope for a future in Hoke
County of lower taxes, higher wages and a better quality of life.
Dual tax specter
bigger this year
The old specter of dual taxation is rearing its head again in Hoke
County, but this time with a larger price tag.
As the pieces of the upcoming year's budgets are being put
together, Hoke County taxpayers whose property is inside the city
limits of Raeford can again look forward to paying more than their
fair share of the cost of services which are not received.
As long as Raeford property owners continue to put up with the
unfair taxation, the problem can only become more burdensome.
This year, two unused services will probably increase by more
than $125,000 (or four cents on the county tax rate). City taxpayers
will pick up most of the tab.
County service expenses are increasing. Raeford taxpayers are
shelling out more and getting less in return.
Current revenues and expenses are not balancing for budget plan
ners, and the county is probably faced with another significant tax
hike brought on by the higher costs of needed increases in the
sheriff's department operating budget and a doubling of the price
of green box garbage pickup.
Both of the services are essential to county taxpayers living out
side the city limits, but are a costly, unneeded duplication for
Raeford residents.
Members of the county commission are being forced to swallow a
100% hike by a garbage collecting firm which will boost the price of
green box collection over $150,000.
That means that Hoke County will be fining Raeford residents,
who pay for city garbage collection, 50% more for county green
box pick up they do not use.
The Hoke County Sheriff's Department is understaffed and
needs additional deputies to effectively keep up with the demands of
a growing rural population.
When the dust settles, the sheriff's budget will probably have to
be increased by $50,000 over last year's.
If Hoke County is going to remain a safe and clean place to live,
then both increases are probably justified and should be im
plemented.
However, city and county officials should work together to curb
expenses and to eventually eliminate dual services.
This county is too small for one group of taxpayers to support all
of one governmental system and most of another.
If duplications are not consolidated soon or tax credits given to
those who do not receive the benefits of services, then local officials
can probably look forward to taxpayer rebellions like ones which
have been waged in other communities.
The time has come to consider the issue and work for a solution
during the next fiscal year. The burden can only get worse.
The News-Journal
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Farm technology sales
will benefit America
Ever since the first load of
American farm products was sold
to the Soviet Union, farmers here
have questioned the logic of selling
food to a possible enemy.
That concern has lessened as
farmers learned the economic im
portance of increased exports to
Russia.
Despite the 1980 grain embargo,
Russia has remained an important
customer. Now there is talk of in
creasing sales of farm technology.
The Soviets have determined the
only way to feed their people is to
learn to increase production
through improved technology.
Rather than reducing exports of
U.S. grain, it is quite possible it
could result in a net gain for the
U.S.
Look at the facts.. .Russia
already has a longer history of im
porting American technology than
they do of importing American
grain, yet their wheat yields are
equal to those of the U.S. 30 years
ago. Soviet livestock growers have
achieved little or no improvement
in feed conversion ratios.
It should be noted that ag
technologies involved in high pro
tein feeds, seeds and breeding
stock represent sales for U.S.
farmers. Remember also that
Russia could buy its technology
elsewhere. And it figures that the
country building the strongest sales
relationship with Russia will
benefit from extra orders for
grains.
Increased exports of U.S. farm
technology to Russia can mean an
economic gain, not loss, for U.S.
farmers.
Mama's power felt
Children arc hard little people to
fool. At a very early age they learn
about the wielding power of
mama. Dad might stick out his
chest and say when mama is not
around that he is the boss but he
knows which side of the bed to
sleep on.
Some children have to get a
refresher course when they are
adults about the power of mama.
A case in point is David Stockman,
the head of the nation's budget.
The president took him to the
woodshed. Mama told him to shut
up. When the president turned him
out of the woodshed his mouth
was still overheated. From hun
dreds of miles away mama told
him to stop talking and the zipper
went closed. He even grabbed the
telephone and told her he was mis
quoted.
Mama has a built in sense of
what is right and wrong. Instinct is
her weapon and no one has ever
improved on it.
She always sees the best side of
her children even when their
behavior would make Jesse and
Frank James look like a Sunday
School teacher.
Respect is something she
demands by a look, pointed finger
or a pop on the rump. Getting
older doesn't diminish the demand
for respect, expressing one's ideas
are fine as long as they don't con
flict with hers.
My own mother was the inspira
tion behind the success I have en
joyed as an adult. Education was
the way for her children to escape
poverty. She didn't ask you if you
wanted to go to school, she told
you to go. Sickness wasn't an ex
cuse. The crops in the field waited
until you got home. Pop could
fume, fuss and even cuss. The rules
weren't changed for him. I in
herited my stubborness from her
but I was blessed with her compas
sion for people. My love for
children wasn't something I
learned, it was something 1 was
taught.
Nothing will raise the wrath of a
mother quicker than lack of
respect. This became clear to me
when I was thirty years old. My
only sister and her husband were
engaged in a personal family
dispute. My mother said to them,
"You have argued enough, 1 don't
want to hear any more of it." The
argument ceased.
Not being smart enough to leave
well enough alone, I said, "Mom
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Looking On
Raz Autry
maybe you should let them handle
their own affairs."
Mom gave me a look I had come
to fear. When we were alone, she
looked me squarely in the eye and
said.
"Don't you ever raise your voice
or talk back to me again."
I did the same thing 1 did when I
was a small boy, I apologized.
What I really was sorry about was
not keeping my mouth shut.
Attending a trial in Lumberton a
few years ago, 1 witnessed the
power of a mother in a courtroom.
A young man was on trial for steal
ing a piece of farm machinery
from his mother. As the pro
secutor began bearing down on the
son, it was apparent the witness
was getting desperate. In reply to a
question about stealing the equip
ment, he indignantly said, I did not
steal the equipment from my
mother. Before anyone could stop
her, the mother raced to the
witness stand and shouted to the
son.
"Don't you dare lie, 1 birthed
you, I will slap your face if you lie
one more time."
He meekly replied, "yes
ma'am".
The startled judge, surely recall
ing a scene from an angry mother
he knew, only said, " Madam
please sit on the front row and try
to control yourself. He didn't
speak loudly because he didn't
want to be the next victim.
Time has afforded mothers a
proper place in history. Men have
prospered from her love. They
have given courage by her strength
and lived better lives because of
her example.
God gave them an extra sense,
even though the men don't admit
it. Mama's love is endless. Pa
tience is her inner strength. En
durance is her secret ingredient and
persistence is her guide.
We should thank God for shar
ing a part of Himself by placing it
in mama. A son or daughter worth
their salt will place them at the top
of their love list even ahead of their
children and dogs.
Happy Mother's Day.
Lack of rain causes mental strain
I walked to work in the rain the other morning.
It was sort of crazy, but what-the-heck, it hadn't rained for what
seemed like six months, so the droplets falling from the end of my
nose and the puddled water leaking over the soles of my shoes felt
pretty good.
However, I'm not the only one whose brain has been short cir
cuited by the unusually dry spring weather. The long drought has
been making a lot of us act a little off our noggins lately.
For example, this spring, farmers have had too much time on
their hands.
"I wash and wash, but I just can't get this time off of my hands,"
one farmer said, noting that he has found himself doing wild things
like arguing about the legislature, going to the beach with his family
and taking 10 strokes off of his golf game.
This year, the fields are plowed, crops are in the ground and
agrarian wives are getting tired of having leisure-oriented husbands.
The dry weather has also gotten my wife slightly confused.
"Did you hear that?" she screamed, interrupting my 6 a.m. Fri
day morning shower.
She had been aroused from a sound sleep by the first clap of loud
thunder we had heard since August.
Over the cascading water of the shower, I did note the resounding
"barrooom," but thought the cat sitting on the edge of the tub had
belched. She had been suffering lately from gastric problems, a con
dition obviously brought on by eating the dried shrubs in our yard.
"They're bombing the house," my wife shouted, assuming that
some gunner on Ft. Bragg had been affected by the arid weather
conditions and was lofting shells in our direction rather than down
range.
"It's raining," I said.
She went back to sleep, relieved that the fireworks were free, and
Warren Johnston
he Puppy Papers
r
not just another misguided example of our tax dollars at work.
Calhoun, who is the dog who stays with us, also has been driven
nuts by the dry weather.
He spends long hours barking at the heavens and at a tiny bird
who likes to frequent the wilting trees in the back yard.
The bird is only the size of quarter, but Calhoun does not like his
attitude and lets him know on a regular basis.
Calhoun has also been barking at bees and horseflies, and has
been ignoring intruding cats, dogs and burglars.
"Aren't you going to do something about that?" I asked him one
day after a neighborhood dog sprinkled markings on the fence posts
surrounding Calhoun's yard.
"That's disgusting," I said, as Calhoun starred at the sky and
moaned.
Since last week's rain, he has been back to his old affable self. He
gave the garbage man a good bawling out and threatened to remove
the left leg from the meter reader.
His mood won't hold though unless we get more rain. He has
already started craning his head upward.
There is a slight chance of rain predicted this week. If it comes,
maybe the fanners can get back to work.
A good rain would also help the leaves on the trees in our back
yard to grow. Then the small bird that hangs out there could hide,
and Calhoun could stop barking at the heavens.