Warren Tax Official Defends Use
Of Post Cards To Notify Taxpayers
Citizen complaints that use of
post cards to notify Warren tax
payers of their 1986 tax bill con
stituted an invasion of privacy
are without legal remedy, Coun
ty Attorney Charles T. Johnson
suggested to members of the
Warren County Board of Com
missioners meeting in mid
monthly session Wednesday
night.
Johnson's comment on the
matter was brief, as he stated
simply that taxes are a matter of
public record, a position also
taken by Tax Collector Susan W.
Brown, who brought the matter
to the commissioners in the form
of a written report.
Mrs. Brown reported that
17,000 tax statements mailed
earlier this month were printed
on post cards for the first time.
She said the decision to use post
cards was made after consider
ing the amount of labor cost and
postage that could be saved by
using the post card method.
Commissioners, who support
ed Mrs. Brown's method of
notification, were told that by
utilizing the county's computer
system to pre-sort bills by zip
code, the Tax Collector's Office
was able to mail each bill for 12
cents as opposed to last year's
cost of 24 cents.
Mrs. Brown reported that over
$2,000 in postage alone was
saved, plus an estimated $1,000
in labor that would have been
necessary to stuff the tax bills in
envelopes.
"I am bringing this to your at
tention because I have received
several complaints regarding
our new billing system," Mrs.
Brown wrote commissioners.
"This method is currently used
in many other counties is clearly
the more efficient and
economical method to use."
Mrs. Brown reported that
"since tax information is a mat
ter of public record, I feel that
the invasion of privacy
argument is not a legitimate
one."
She told commissioners that
she felt the benefits far outweigh
the disadvantages involved and
"I hope to have your support in
this effort to streamline the
operations of my office."
GOP House Candidate
Says Practice Unfair
Bud McElhaney, Republican
candidate for Congress from the
2nd Congressional District,
toured Vance and Warren coun
ties on Tuesday to let area
farmers hear his proposal for in
creasing the income of tobacco
growers.
The legislation which he pro
poses to introduce early next
year is a move which he said
would increase income of Warren
County tobacco farmers by as
much as one-third.
"American tobacco is known
overseas as the best in the world,
but that reputation and North
Carolina farm income are being
damaged by an unjust business
practice," McElhaney said.
Some American companies are
importing cheap foreign tobacco,
blending it with high-quality
American tobacco, and then re
exporting it as "U.S. Tobacco,"
McElhaney said.
Warren County tobacco
farmers are being hurt by this
practice, because it means less
real American tobacco is being
sold," McElhaney said. "This
practice is an injustice to the
American grower, and a possible
swindle of the overseas buyer,
who may be under the impression
that he is buying 100 percent high
quality U.S. leaf."
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture documented the
practice of blending foreign leaf
with domestic tobacco in April
when it announced the 1986 quota,
which was reduced by the max
imum amount allowable below
the 1985 quota.
McElhaney said he thought the
foreign blends were a major
cause of the six percent cut in
1986 production since annual
quota figures are partly based on
overseas demand for American
tobacco.
According to USDA figures, on
ly about three out of every four
pounds of what, is sold as U.S.
tobacco is actually grown in
America.
"What that means,"
McElhanev said, "is that we
could increase exports of real
American tobacco by as much as
one-third over and above what we
are exporting today. And what we
are exporting is 100 million to 150
million pounds of lower quality
foreign tobacco that is disguised
as American tobacco.
"fhat's tens of millions of
dollars that our farmers should
be earning off of what is proven
demand for our high-quality
American tobacco," McElhaney
said. "It is wrong to sell tobacco
as 100 percent U.S. grown when
it is not, because it's unfair and
hurts both the buyer and the
American farmer.
"I'm standing for what's right,
and plan to introduce legislation
early next year during my first
term in Congress, to require ex
ports labeled 'U.S. Tobacco,' to
be 100 percent American flue
cured or burley leaf. If the tobac
co being exported is a blend with
the lower quality foreign tobacco,
then that percentage should be
identified," McElhaney said.
"The most pressing problem
tobacco growers have today is
competition from unfairly sub
sidized foreign imports,"
McElhaney said, "and that pro
blem is doubly compounded when
these imports are passed off as
American tobacco.
"I plan to work hard to protect
the reputation of the high quality
of American tobacco, which in
turn should boost quotas and help
North Carolina farmers earn
more money," McElhaney said.
"At a time when our farmers are
suffering from the lingering ef
fects of a scorching drought, and
from mounting debts, Bud
McElhaney is standing for what's
right, and plans to do all he can
do to increase farm income and
American farm exports."
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Damages High
In Collision
Two Warren County residents
received minor injuries in a
Saturday afternoon collision on
State Road 1305 between
Highway 158 and Warren Plains.
State Trooper A1 Bennett
reported that Gregory Alonzo
Banks of Rt. 2, Macon was head
ed south at a high rate of speed
and attempting to pass a vehicle
when he met a northbound truck
driven by Beth Frazier Garrett,
also of Rt. 2, Macon. Banks lost
control of his vehicle and ran off
the right side of the road, then
came back onto the pavement
and crossed the centerline, hit
ting the Garrett vehicle, accor
ding to the trooper. The impact
caused Mrs. Garrett to go off the
road and hit a utility pole.
Banks' vehicle overturned and
came to rest on its side, Bennett
said.
Mrs. Garrett was taken by am
bulance to Maria Parham
Hospital in Henderson where she
was treated for numerous cuts
and abrasions about the face and
then released. Banks also suf
fered minor injuries to the legs.
Bennett said Banks was
charged with driving left of
center.
Charges to the vehicles were
estimated at $6,500 to Mrs. Gar
rett's truck and $3,800 to Banks'
1981 compact car.
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