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OBSERVATIONS
February 11, 2021 |
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 Wingate Lassiter |
What's the fairest, and simplest, way
to pay for major stormwater projects?
The Town of Smithfield's recently constituted Stormwater Advisory Committee is recommending a separate fee to cover that expense: either attached to our annual property-tax bills or added to our monthly utility bills.
And that fee would be assessed on all real estate in town, including parcels occupied by public schools, the community college, churches, and other institutions that are exempt from property-tax assessments.
The fee would be based on the amount of impervious surface calculated for each parcel of property --- a calculation that would include rooftops, driveways and parking lots, and anything else that sheds water into the town's drainage system.
Perhaps there's fairness in asking those tax-exempt property owners to contribute to a stormwater fund. Beyond that, fairness looks a bit muddy when you consider who foots the bill: Only the owners of real-estate who pay property taxes? Or a mixture of owners and tenants who pay monthly utility bills?
Would it not be simpler, and perhaps fairer, to come up with an annual budget for stormwater projects and work that amount into the town's General Fund alongside other services like police and fire protection, parks and recreation, and street maintenance (which is closely related to drainage)?
Another option might be a bond issue to finance not only a list of major drainage problems but also the town's backlog of street resurfacing needs that continue to be under-funded by annual Powell Bill allocations from the state. A bond issue would require approval from Smithfield's voters in a special referendum, but present-day interest rates make that an attractive avenue to explore.
There's plenty of precedent in our region for a special stormwater fee, currently assessed by Dunn, Zebulon, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Wilson, Goldsboro, and Raleigh among others in Eastern N.C.
Whether Smithfield should get on that bandwagon or not is a question that calls for a healthy public debate.
Break-in victim thanks police for professionalism
A reader
shares contents of a letter he sent this week to
Smithfield's Chief of Police Keith Powell:
I write to
commend your crew who answered the alarm at my
home.... Officer Tyndall headed up the effort which
resulted in the arrest of the suspect --- and was so
accommodating to come by the house on Sunday and
catch my wife up on the investigation.
Lieutenant
Beyer and Sergeant Wheeler, along with several
others, were as quick as they were skilled, not only
to arrive while the fellow was in the home with the
alarm blaring, but also in collecting evidence.
The whole
process was handled with the highest level of
professionalism. I must say that my wife and I were
immensely impressed. I trust you will pass on our
thanks to your fine crew.
--- JAMES W. NARRON, Smithfield
Couldn't resist sharing this photograph of Dr. Kathleen Coates and her staff at Coates Hearing Clinic to wind up ALL IN RED WEEK --- a national campaign sponsored locally by the Johnston Health Foundation to heighten awareness of heart disease and how to prevent it. This picture was taken on national "Wear Red" Day last Friday and shared online this week in the clinic's digital newsletter.
LEARN MORE about the campaign on the Health Foundation's website>
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