Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / May 3, 1984, edition 1 / Page 2
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■ • • * i * -- Towards The Year 2005 In a day-long conference on Tuesday under the heading • _Drban Renaissance - Planning For A Livable Community »* over 200 Charlotteans and other Mecklenburg County residents heard panel discussions and citi zens’ comments on .housing, transportation and urban design However, the main..focus of much of the discussion and low key but very evident controvery was over the concept of ba lanced growth. A booklet entitled “General Land Use Plan 2005 A Working Document,” has ignited contro verey over land-use goals and policy proposals during a series of neighborhood workshops dur ing the month of March. The document proposes policies for balanced growth and urban de sign and suggests controversial government regulations in land use of public facilities. Mayor Harvey Gantt, the ini speaker on the opening panel discussion on “Land Use Is sues” referred to balanced growth as meaning government attempts to redirect growth to Jheas of the city to avoid over burdening our roads, utilities and schools and to avoid in creased traffic traveling through one neighborhood to get to another. Panel member Bill Mc Guire of McGuire Properties representing land developer in terests, spoke of balanced growth as a means for govern ment control that would inhi bit ip'owth andaerve as^a dis incentive for economic develoo ment. Growth Policy A primary argument against a balanced growth policy is that it will cause land prices to rise in thoas areas where development might be encouraged to go. However, much if any such increases, could be off-set by the tax incentives that might be giyen the developer. On the other hand, to suggest that balanced growth is a land-use central technique is correct. However, it is necessary for the function of responsible government. Our point is, wherever development occurs local government must provide required public services * water and sewage, public trans portation, police ancfVfire pro tection and garbage collection services. Since all taxpayers share in these costa, government would be acting irresponsibly if it did not provide some direc tion to land-use and growth to assure fair arid equitable sen vice to all of its citizens with its limited resources. Limited Market During the question and an swer session with the panel on housing, one citizen asked how can we, and why do we seek to predict what might occur 20 years hence? The panel mem bers offered no answer to this very important question. How ever, Cetron and O’Toole raised a similar question in their book “Encounters With The Future: A Forecast of Life Into The 2lst Century.” They ask, ‘‘Why is it important to be able to predict the future?” In responding to their own question, they state, “Because times are changing so fast we can no longer prosper by adlibbing responses to future events.” They add that predic - tions must be based on solid facts used in a rational way with unbiased reasoning to accurate ly forecast the future. Giving some relevance to these writers’ words, if we had known in 1970 that by 1984 we would have double digit interest rates, that an average 1,800 square foot house in Charlotte would cost $82,000, that south east Charlotte’s unchecked growth would be causing a near inbalance in the use of public faculties, that developers gen erally don’t want to build new housing in northeast Charlotte because of limited market de mand (only blacks, whites won’t live there), that increasing num bers of people are moving into Charlotte and other Sun Belt cities from the North, or that tax exempt low interest fina«y»ing wo^ld hove led to such ifepfck development in Fourth Ward and Tmpd WjqNl, if we had had soHdl facts to make such predictions what might we have donedff ferently both publicly and pri vately, in terms of land-use po licy and related issues? We should note too that some panel members made the ob servation that developing a fac tual data base is necessary for the development of policies and strategies leading toward the year 2005. - The policy issues related to housing, transportation and ur ban design will affect citizens wherever they live and work in our city. BLACKS MHO THROUGH THEIR SLA\m i Ann* BUILT this country MuiSNwmTEm ;REmi>QUR COMHUNItSkr T>^LJzsW ZA#*'1, Bear Friend: The office of Lieutenant Governor has tremendous influence on funding, poli cies, and legislation af fecting children and youth. We encourage your support for Bob Jordan Tor Lieu tenant Governor. Bob Jordan understands tbc peodn of-chUrirn and has been a strong advo cate for them in his eight years in the North Caro lina Senate. - Bob Jordan has spon sored several pieces of le gislation to increase funds for children with special needs. Bob Jordan iw« sup ported legislation to reduce class size in kiodergartaw and to improve the quality of day care for our- young est citizens. Bob Jordan [assure t. ! y tiu“«L --1 children receive adequate and ap proximate treatment These are but a few examples of Bob Jordan’s deep con cern for children and youth. As Lieutenant Governor Bob Jordan is committed to establishing a Select Com mittee on Children and Youth in the North Caro lina General Assembly to provide a visible forum for children’s issues and to assure that children’s rights are protected and their needs are met. For our children’s sake, please join us in voting for Bob Jordan for Lieutenant Governor: - Pat Ash ley Dolly Tate M. E. Justice Pat Lloyd Less Bobbitt Maria Petrea Mr. Ray A. M. Brooks Griffin Demonstrates Positive Leadership Dear Editors: It disturbs me to no end that candidate for School Board Arthur Griffin is being portrayed as one who would riot cooperate with Superintendent Jay Robin son. This, no doubt, results from Arthur’s statement that some residents have expressed to him the belief that the present school board is of “rubber-stamp” variety. -4 have observed Arthur as he has demonstrated not only positive leadership po tential but the desire plus willingness to render valu -flhle MHWt to (Mir munity via the school board. Concerned citizens, join me on May 8 as I cast my vote for Arthur Griffin. We need the breath of fresh air he personifies - now more than ever before Daisy Spears Stroud L Juate Gradate CarefiJy vearanr: 1 hope every voter will carefully evaluate the qua lifications of each 9th Dis trict Congressional candi date and compare What they’ve done more' than what they say they’ll do. Ben Tison’g record speaks for Itself while all the others can do is make promises. They have no experience. Ben’s words are backed up by twelve years’ experience as a leg islator. As a State Repre sentative and State Sen ator, he was always acc essible, interested and un derstanding. He listened to what the people of Meek lenburg asked him to do and responded with action. In fact, he' was consistently rafted among the most ef fective legislators from all over the state. The Ninth pistrict needs a qualified, capable, exper ienced* legislator in Wash ington. We need Ben Tison! Omega It Autry PTA Meeting Statesville Road Elemen tary School will hold its PTA meeting in the school’s auditorium tonight at 7:30. After a brief busi ness meeting, performanc es will be rendered by the band and orchestra ! Sabrina consumers were scheduled to start paying an additional/t^fnpnthjy charge to cover a partof the local telephone cost - a cost that previously was subsidized by long distance rates ttf ^American ■; Telephone aMWKTele^c«l|il3M8k>. (AT&T). This was temporarily, halted by the Federal Communication Commission and will be indefinitely delayed in response to Congress and objections to AT&T. Presently, only, commercial establishments are forced !# pay the rfccess charge. A recent opinion survey commissioned by BUSINESS WEEK magazine and conduct ed by Louis Harris & Associates, Inc. have _ -found that most Americans were and are prepared to pay the access charge: And 58 percent of those polled stated that they are wilhng to pay the $2 if long distance charges wore reduced by an equal amount. In fact, AT&T had promised that as part of the package when implementing the $2 access —charge to gain public support. lauded in the survey, it was found that 53 percent to 32 percent of those polled are - willing to live with a “pay as you use” method of supplementing local services. Under this plan the price of local calls would be planned to cover all costs: thus meaning heavy users would have higher bills If the poll proves any particular fact, it is that Americans are basically satisfied with telephone service in the U.S. and view the additional charge as a way of maintaining and improving it in the future. Nearly 72 percent of those polled view local service as excellent or good and long distance service as the same. Unfortunately, the areas Americans are most happy with will turn out to be the weakest points in the service with the split of long distance, local service and equip ment sales. However, only 53 percent of .telephone consumers are happy with Jn stallation service on new telephones. An other 27 percent rate installation service as fair to poor. Repair service ratings vary in response: 55 pdrtent of telephone consum ers are happy with repair service,; 24 percent are not and 21 percent are not sure. 1116 reason for such results is due to the fact that only 25 percent of Americans havP come in contact with the phone company on service, repair and installation as of April this year. . The pattern on the decision to rent or buy telephones vary. Two-thirds of phone users view the $35 per month service charge as fair and necessary, and worth the money However, only 32 percent view installation charges as fair .and 45 percent view it as unfair. This dissatisfaction may disappear due to the fact that the trend towards the purchase of telephones is increasing - based upon the idea of do-it-yourself installation. Only 45 percent of American households have purchased phones new and existing: an additional 16 percent plan to buy phones and only a third plan to continue'renting. The findings of the BUSINESS WEEK, Harris Polls prove that Americans really have no real idea as to what the true meaning of the break up of AT&T really means. All the services previously taken for grarfted will become difficult to obtain and possibly expensive. Aside from the cost of services increasing the cost of long dis tance calling will potentially reach record levels. What will this do - force consumers to seek other ways to cut the cost - thus causing the upstart of other independent companies such as MCI and Sprint. MCI and Sprint are wonderful ideas and their long distance rates are cheaper than AT&T. However, they fail to mention that local service is very limited and almost ft non-existent. AT&T will dominate a large W portion of the telecommunications system throughout the U.S. and abroad. AT&T is the monopoly company at present however, MCI is posing as a strong adversary first in long distance and po tentially local service. Phone service and maintenance are viewed as being obsolete m the future meaning phone companies will not be responsible for phone servicing Telephones will be like small appliances the telephone companies like electricity - one is not responsible for the upkeep of the other. They are separate but dependent upon each other. • Consumer response to the $2 access rhargse^tMtellation, long distance service Ar&T, MCI, Sprint and other phone com iJ *^rvl®e consumers and how much they charge. So, consumer, stay alert and speak your minds - because it's your money. THE CHARLOTTE POST "THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER" Established 1918 Published Every Thursday , by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. Subscription Rate »17.«8 Per Year Second Class Postage No. 965500 Postmaster Send 3579s to: 1531 Camden Rd., Charlotte, N.C. 28203 Telephone: 704-376-0496 Circulation: 11.023 _106 Years of Continuous Service Bill Johnson Editor, Publisher Bernard Reeves General Manager Fran Farrar Advertising Director Dannette Gaither Office Manager Second Class Pottage No. 965500 Paid at Charlotte, North Carolina Under the Act of March 3,1878 Member, National Newspaper _Publishers’ Association North Carolina Black Publishers Association Deadline for all news copy and photos is 5 pm., Monday. All photos and copy submitted become the property of The Post and will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. um S. Mtehigaw A ve. 49 W. 45th St.. Suite 14*3 Chicago, fit. MS1S New York. New York 10034 Cola met 9-0200 212-400-1220 | t'rutu Caflki m CA Policy Viewed As Invitation To War Alfreds M a discs " “ Special To The Past The Reagan Administra tion is seeking a peace goal attainment in Central Ame rica by killing, starving and maiming people. It is providing military mercen aries, training soldiers to fight on side of the re pressive government in El Salvador, training and sup porting militarily Nicaura guans who are fighting to overthrow the government, mining Nicauraguan ports and conducting military maneuvers in Honduras. Are these the acts of a compassionate man? Mining the Nicauraguan ports, shuts off the coun try’s lifeline. This Central American policy is facing stiff opposi tion from members of Con gress, the American people and foreign countries. Representative Ron Del luma, Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Installations and Facilities has been holding hearings on the Administration and Pentagon Central Ameri can policy. Dellums, commenting on the recent visit to Cen tral America of several Subcommittees, said, “It appears that through mi litary exercises, increased security assistance funds and military construe* tion money, the US. is relying almost totally on a Alfreds L. Madison military solution to the pro blems that I perceive to be political in nature.” Congress has already ap proved $21 million for mi litary faculties in Hon duras The Administration is asking for an additional $8.7 million. This is viewed as military assistance. Dellums says “a military build-up that is too fsst and ou* of proportion to the acVal legitimate mUitary neeoi of Honduras could actually set back the cause of democracy.” Witnesses disagreed with the Administration’s po licy- that Central American conflict represents a com munistic challepge. In stead, the combtionirspring from the crumbling old order because it has been incapable of meeting the changing economic and social needs. They admit that Cuba and Russia have given some support to forces in these countries. but not of the exaggerated magnitude expressed by the Reagan Administra tion. The Administration’s military solution is not working. It wants to over throw the Sandinista Go vernment in Nicauragua, to force the guerrillas to suffer in El Salvador and establish a government on our terms, said a witness. Leyda Barbieri, the Washington office of Latin America, said, “The mi litarization and ideological polarization of Honduras have been actively fueled by the United States’ po licy. Honduras has become central to U S. efforts to stem the spread of Marx ism liv Central America through military mea sures.” Barbieri stated that U.S. military aid to Honduras increased from 3.98 mill ion in 1980 to *78.5 mill ion in 1984. Honduras spends six percent of its GNP for the military. The armed forces increased from 14,300 in 1979 to 30,000 in 1983 - one infantry batailion and three bri gades were created last year. The U.S. has expand ed military constructions. R was reported, by wit nesses, that far more se rious than the military ex penditures, are the atro cities against the people. There have been tortures, clandestine cemeteries, and Jails, sxtrajutttcial lulilngs and. increased dis appearances. Recently, re signed General Alvarez, whom the U.S. supported, is accused of corruption and repression. Fred C. like, Secretary for Policy in the Defense De partment, attempted to de fend the Pentagon policy in Central America. He stated that the American con tin- * gency facilities in Hon duras, are Honduran faci lities to which America has access. like said It is not the Administration’s goal to have permanent mili tary presence in Honduras - such be said would be a 'ragedy. The only goal, the Administration has in Cen tral America, said Ilka, is to strengthen democracy and aid economic develop ment. He said U.S. na tional security and advanc ing human rights win be served by promoting de mocracy in the region. James Michel Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, said, “The U.S.-Honduras partnership is a force for stability and hope in Cen tral America.'* Because of the recent in spection Central American trip and Subcommittee hearings, Del]urns intro duced an amendment to H R. 5107 which would pro hibit any U.S. funding for orert and covert mlMlM*.. operations
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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May 3, 1984, edition 1
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