’HEaaiIICEYgRECMDM
V«lmm 33
Tomatoes
Boost Our
Economy
There was a great deal of
enthusiasm generated at the
2nd annual meeting of the T&n
cey County Producers Associa
tion held a few days ago. The
Growers are planning for the
1970 operation and look for
ward to having more tomatoes
for the expanding market This
year's growers will be talking
to other prospective growers
and it is hoped that at least
130 acres will be under culti -
vation with tomatoes next ye&x.
Success stories were told
which will be written up about
individual growers for publi -
cation in the Yancey Record
and over WKYK Radio St a
- in the future.
The Tomato Co-op is a
great boost to the economy of
Yancey County, said
James Ray. He reported that
four times as many Tomatoes
were grown in 1969 as over
1968. The Audit showedthat
in 1968 tomato sales totalled
only $43, 379.50 as compared
to the 1969 sales which total
led $156,277.75.
The growers and the La -
bor Force payments came to
$127,285.44. This substan
tial amount shows that the co
op benefits are heading in the
right direction as a majority
of growers and labor are in the
lower income bracket.
An election of Board Mem
bers included these from the
Class of '73: Lawrence Ray,
Yates Bailey and Law re nc e
King. The new Board elected
the following officers: John
E. Powers, President; Hugh
Pate, Vice President; John G.
Ramsay, Secretary James Ray
Treasurer.
'Sorry
About
That’
Due to a fire in the Re
cord building and resultant
heat and water damage to
machinery, the Yancey
Record was not publish ed
last Thursday, October 2.
We are happy to re
port that business is pro
ceeding as usual now.
Watch for the announ
cement of our relocation
in the Phillip Ray Building
across from Higgin's Me
morial Methodist Church.
-Ed. and Staff.
Competitive Banking Needed
For Progress In Yancey County
By Carolyn Yuziuk
John Smith wants to open a bakery in Burnsville He be
lieves, since there is no bakery in Burnsville or in all of
Yancey Comity, that he can enter into this business ven
ture with a good likelihood of success. Fortunately, the
government agrees with him and the Small Business Ad -
ministration guarantees to back 90% of the $15,000 John
needs to borrow to start in business. Full of optimism and
enthusiasm, John arrives at his local bank to receive his
business loan, and finds to his dismay that his bank wants
him to repay the whole amount in 6 years time -a time
limit that would set his monthly payments at more than
S3OO - an impossible figure for a newly-formed business
to meet. "The Banks policy ", John was told.
Impossible? Unrealistic? The answer is no. This
account is true, although the name and business were fic
tionalized.
Commissioners Announce
H Snles-Use Tax Funds
Would Go To Education
On September 23, 1969,
the Yancey County Board of
Commissioners met and agreed
that 100% of all funds collec
ted as a result of the l<fc sales
tax go to education if voted in
on November 4, 1969. These
funds will be used toward Ca
pitol improvement of schools
in Yancey County.
The 1969 General Assem
bly called for elections in all
100 counties on November 4,
1969 on a one-penny sales tax
with proceeds for local govern
ment.
If all 100 counties in N.
Carolina approve the l<fc sales
tax Yancey County would re -
ceive approximately $100,798.
If the sales tax of l<t is
voted in in Yancey County 90
days after certification of the
results, the tax will begin to
be collected. Yancey Coun -
ty will receive one-half of the
funds oollected to be distribu
ted in the county. The other
half of the funds will be pooled
and distributed to all the par
ticipating counties and their
municipalities.
Yancey County must ap
prove the tax in order to share
in the proceeds.
If Yancey County is going
to attract new people and new
industry- we must do this if
we're going to grow - we ' re
going to have to make our
county and community attrac
tive to those new residents and
industrial leaders.
Tlrarsdf y, October 9,1969
Our property owners are -
and have been - assuming al
most the entire burden of local
government. I think it's ob
vious that this is not fair nor
can it continue indefinitely.
We are not talking about
additional taxes when we talk
about a one penny local sales
and use tax in Yancey County
What we are talking about is a
substitute for part of the histo- f
ric local government support- I
ing tax - the ad valorem levy 1
on real and personal property. c
There is no question but s
that just to stay where we are t
is going to cost more. As is i
the case with individuals and i
with private enterprise, sala - I
1, ries and the costs of materials
for government also are going i
up. i
Any experienced industry ]
hunter will tell you very frank |
ly that no industry is going to
locate in an area where the
schools are inferior. An indus
try will not want to locate in
an area where there is hapha -
zard thought of the future.
So the issue is really sim
ple. This is not a new tax but
a substitute -a fair substitute
in that it is not limited to one
class of citizens - the property
o
owners.
On November 4th, we wil |
go to die polls and decide whe
ther in this county we will le
vy upon ourselves - upon all
• die people who are spen ding
I the money -a one penny sales
and use tax.
All over the country men and women are buying homes
and starting business enterprises. All over the country the
banks, in competition with other banks, make ittheir po
licy to approve loans at the most favorable terms possible
to keep the public coming bo their doors instead of going
to their competitors. In Miami, Florida, the only word cn
top of a multi-storied bank which can be seen for miles
around is simply "Yes!" Long-term loans, low monthly
payments, consideration for individual needs; these are
bywords in the banking industry and among the people in
today's world. The world, that is, except for "YknceyCoun
ty-
In Yancey County, the vital competitive spirit with
out which progress rarely comes, seems to be sadly lack
ing. This is evidenced by many one-of-a-kind businesses
who have no incentive to lure customers to their door wifi
sales, competitive prices, etc. -their's being the only
door in town, so to speak. Our bank is a singular exampfe.
It is the only bank in town - the only bank in Tincey Coun
ty. Possibly the only bank period where the officials do
agree that their policies are tight-fisted and sympathize
with the borrower while encouraging him to seek help in
Erwin, Spruce Pine, or elsewhere.
Why should Yancey Countians have to borrow from a
bank in another county or another state? It is the people
who live here, work here, raise their families here, and
do their shopping here who deserve to do their banking in
(Cont'd on Page 3)
Weekly Childrens Hour
Planned By Librarian
Miss Theresa Coletta of
Burnsville, recently appointed
Regional Children's Librarian,
has announced a new and ex -
citing program for pre-school
and kindergarten age children
to take place in each of the
four member libraries of the
region -a weekly Children's
Hour.
The Children's Hour dif
fers from the usual Story Telk
ing Hour conducted in most
public libraries. This pro -
gram will present to the young
Tfcmsa CoUtto
Ninbar Fifty -Six
reader, or non-reader, the very
best in children's
crafts, music, drama, and
children's films. Most impor
tant of all, it will be a fun
hour for "little people."
The Children's Hour will
be presented one day each week
in the Yancey County Public
Library, Burnsville, Mondays
at 10 a. m.; the Mitchell Can
ty Public Library, Bakersville,
Tuesdays at 2p. m.; the Avery
County Public Library, New
land, Wednesdays at 10 a.m.;
and the Spruce Pine Public Li
brary on Thursdays at 10 a. m.
Miss Coletta brings a wide
variety of experience and skill
to this program. In addition
to her recent graduation from
the University of Tennessee ,
she has been the Arts, Crafts,
and Music Director of the
Little Beaver Country Club in
Asheville and has work exper
ience in puppetry as well as
numerous courses in the field
of education and library ser
vice to children.
The programs are open to
the public without any pre -
registration or application of
any kind.