TrT
Talk
i the repeal of the tax
bles is that, somehow, it
would trigger a business boom in
the state.
Saying that “its time has
come,” Senator William W. Red
man, Jr., the minority leader,
urged the adoption of the Har
dison amendment, which would
phase out the tax over a two-year
period, bringing the annual
revenue loss to $75.4 million by
1987-88.
Redman told his fellow senators
that the state needs “to do
something drastic to send a signal
to the people that we’re trying to
communicate with,” wealthy
retirees and corporate executives
who invest their capital outside
North Carolina.
From that, the assumption is
that these wealthy people, but for
the intangibles tax, would rush to
invest their money in North
Carolina companies. The fallacy
in that assumption is that stock in
North Carolina companies is
already exempt from the in
tangibles tax.
What these wealthy retirees and
corporate'executives, who have
decided because of the many
other advantages to cast their lot
among us, what they want is to
keep their investments right
where they are and not have to
pay an intangibles tax on the cash,
Stocks and bonds they own and the
other evidences of debt they hold.
There are valid arguments that
can be made in favor of repealing
the intangibles tax, but the claim
that it would trigger a large
capital buildup in North Carolina
is not one of them. In fact, it might
do just the opposite. By removing
the tax advantage now available
to holders of stock in domestic
corporations, it well could en
courage some of our wealthy
residents to go elsewhere for their
investments.
Perhaps the most valid argu
ment for repealing the state’s tax
on intangible property owned by
its citizens is that the state levies
no tax on tangible property and
~-should treat mtangntne property
the same way.
The trouble with repealing the
intangibles tax is that over the
years the counties and cities have
become the prime beneficiaries.
Except for the cost of collection,
which is almost negligible, the
state returns the intangibles
revenue to the counties and cities
where it originated.
Thus, if the tax is repealed
without the local governments be
ing reimbursed, offsetting taxes in
those localities would have to be
levied, with the burden shifting
from the “wealthy retirees and
corporate executives” to the
backs of taxpayers in general.
The same will be true if the state
decides to reimburse the localities
— the state’s general fund tax
payers will pick up the tab.'
We do not come as a stranger to
the intangibles tax. Our in
tangibles tax bill has run into the
thousands of dollars for the past
several years. It would save usi
money if it is repealed. But we are
getting a little tired of the phony
arguments the governor and his
legislative lieutenants are using in
an effort to get it off the books. We
don’t want to see North Carolina
get itself in the same shape the
federal government is right now
by cutting taxes and increasing
spending at the same time.
Crackdown Begun
On Litterbugs
... The Town of Edenton is getting
tough on litterbugs.
At Monday’s town council
meeting, Mayor Harrell stated
that he has received a lot of com
plaints recently about the litter
problem.
“We don’t want people throwing
trash on our streets and we intend
to enforce the littering laws,” the
mayor said.
Harrell asked Edenton Police
Chief Parrish to begin a
crackdown on litterbugs.
The fine for littering within ci
ty limits is $50. -M ? {*§»;
Graduation Day 1985....
was definitely the place to be last Friday night, as John A. Holmes
High School’s Commencement exercises were held. Gray and overcast skies held
a threat of rainfall, but could not dim the radiant smiles of graduating seniors.
Keynote speaker for the occasion was Dr. Johnny Horton, who told the students
they possess the best tools for success: education, reading ability, and intelligence.
(Staff Photos by Ron Anderson)
Volume XLIX - No. 21
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, June 13, 1985
Single Copies 25 Cents
Commissioners Vote Additional Funding For Schools
County commissioners passed a
resolution Friday calling for a
property tax increase of 6V2 cents
instead of the 5 cents hike sug
gested by the finance committee.
The V/2 cent increase in revenue
would be used exclusively to help
fund the county’s school system
during Fiscal Year 1985-86.
The 3-2 vote in favor of the in
crease in the proposed tax rate
v5aaaeJafter>aJc5i?gjny meeting l£t
ween the commissioners and
members of the Edenton-Chowan
Board of Education. Voting for the
increase were Alton Elmore,
United Methodist
Minister Appointed
Reverend Ralph I.
» ± ' Epps will be moving
to Edenton on June
13 and will become
the new pastor of
Edenton United
Methodist Church. His first Sun
day in the pulpit will be on
Father’s Day, June 16.
Rev. Epps, a native of Sumpter,
South Carolina, attended Sumpter
High School, received his A.B.
degree from Wofford College,
Spartanburg, and his B.D. degree
from Duke Divinity School. He is
a veteran of World War II, having
served as an Infantry Officer with
the Airborne (Glinders).
He has served appointments in
North Carolina including
Pikeville, Stem, Maxton, Laurel
Hill, Grifton, Weldon, Fairmont,
Mebane, Englewood in Rocky
Mount, Fairmont in Raleigh, and
comes to Edenton from
Washington. He has held various
memberships and served in many
capacities on both the District and
Conference levels. Epps has serv
ed as Town and County Commis
sion Secretary; Vice Chairman,
Conference Board of Pensions;
Trustee, Methodist Home for
Children; District Secretary of
Missions; District Secretary of
Race Relations; Member, Board
of College Visitors; President,
Raleigh Board of Missions;
Secretary, Directors for Walnut
Terrace Child Development
Center, Raleigh; Coordinator,
Migrant Ministry Committee,
Rocky Mount; Member, Beaufort
County Mental Health Associa
tion; Member, Family Support
Group for Alzheimer’s disease
victims’1 families; Member,
Beaufort County Council on Ag
Con tinned
On Page 4
Clara Boswell, and Joe Hollowell;
against the motion were A1
Phillips and Wayne Goodwin.
The additional Vk cent increase
would amount to approximately
$42,000 in additional funding for
the school system, but would fall
$300,000 short of the amount re
quested. The school system had
asked the county for $1,870,353;
the original amount offered to the
schools. $1*SJ&34Q
Before Friday’s vote, Edenion
Chowan School Superintendent
John Dunn told the commis
sioners that it will be necessary to
cut some of the existing school
programs if additional funding is
not provided. Some of those pro
grams include the Artist in the
Schools program; Master
Teachers Salaries; two elemen
tary school teacher position;
renovations at various school
facilities; and the closing of the
Alternative School. He added that
Cheese Distribution
Tuesday, June 18th
The Chowan Department of
Social Services will be
distributing cheese, butter and
rice to residents of Chowan Coun
ty on Tuesday, June 18, at the
School Maintenance Building on
Dicks Street in Edenton during
the hours from 9 to 11 a.m.
The commodities will be
available to households receiving
food stamps in Chowan County
and other households meeting cer
tain income levels who did not
receive these commodities on
May 14.
For those households not on food
stamps, gross monthly income
levels to be eligible should not ex
ceed $540.00 for one person, $728.00
for two persons, $917.00 for three
persons, $1,105.00 for four persons,
$1,294.00 for five persons, $1,482.00
for six perosns, $1,671.00 for seven
persons, $1,859.00 for 8 persons
and household over eight persons
should add $189.00 for additional
person. The application will con
tain a self-declaration income
r statement to be signed by the
applicant.
One person from eachi
household should come and sign
the application and receive the
commodities. The Department es
courages all households that feel
they are eligible, and did not
receive these commodities during
May, to come to the site and sign
the application to receive
commodities.
the average increase in school
budgets in the surrounding seven
counties between 1971 and 1983
was 328 percent while Chowan
County’s average increase
amounted to 135 percent during
the same period.
In a telephone interview, Dunn
said that while the additional
$42,000 from the extra 1M> cent
property tax would save some of
J1*r programs,*‘it sjill means ws
are going to have to cut over
$300,000 (in program).”
At the meeting of the two
boards, Chairman of the Board of
County Commissioners A1 Phillips
asked Dunn why the school
system is asking for an extra
$350,000 this year when one of the
schools in the system (Swain
Elementary) will be closed next
year.
Dunn said that many of the
renovations throughout the
system are costing more than was
expected and that, “Education is
a people industry - salaries go
up.”
“It (increases in funding re
quests) can’t continue,” said
Continued On Page 4
Selective Board Established
The Selective Service System
. has established a local board for
Chowan, Perquimans, Pas
quotank, Camden and Currituck
counties. They are now accepting
applications for volunteers to
serve on that board.
Persons selected would spend
one weekend of initial training and
one additional three-hour training
session each year.
If the draft were ever resumed,
the local board would decide con
scientious objection and hardship
claims for draft exemptions and
Continued On Page 4
Knox Retires From Local Post Office
by Ron Anderson
The weather is stifling. But it
doesn’t seem to bother Larry
Knox as he settles into a shaded
backyard hammock and takes
another sip from his soft drink.
He’s retired.
Last month, Knox, 55, officially
retired from the U.S. Postal Ser
vice with thirty years of service.
For the last ten of those years, he
was Superintendent of Postal
Operations at the Edenton Post
Office.
A native of Edenton, Knox serv
ed in the U.S. Air Force for three
years. When he came home in
1958, he began his career with the
Post Office as a substitute carrier
but soon was transferred inside
and began working as a clerk.
In 1975, the last person to hold
the title of Assistant Postmaster
in Edenton, Bill Goodwin, retired
and Knox was promoted to
Superintendent. Duties formerly
assigned to the Assistant
Postmaster were now being per
formed by the Superintendent.
The Superintendent, according to
Knox, is in charge of all opera
tions in the office.
“The Postal Service has been
good to me,” Knox said of his thir
ty years of service. He noted that
the biggest change to occur dur
ing his career was the reorganiza
tion of the postal system in 1970.
At that time the service became
an independent organization.
Even though Knox has pleasant
memories of the Post Office, he is
looking forward to enjoying his
retirement and has numerous ac
tivities planned.
“I like to fish and hunt - both
bird hunting and deer hunting,”
he said. “I also plan to piddle
around the garden. I’m a great
piddler; I can piddle a long time.”
Knox is married to the former
Anne Mae Woolard of Washington
who is currently the office
manager at Fisher Nut Co. They
Have two sons, Larry and Jeff;
three daughters, Susie, Amy and
Patricia; and five grandchildren.
RETIREMENT— Larry Knox demonstrates the fine art of retirement in a hammock behind his house.
Knnv officially retired from the Post Office on Friday, May 24 with thirty years of service.
89
. ; •• ' . .
Tuesday, June 18th
12 P.M. - 6 P.M.
.PX3*
Bloodmobile Chowan Hospital
Quota: 90 Units