BC 2011 10 17 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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October 17, 2011 (Regular Meeting) Page 636 Agenda 21 coming to your community. The following is from Henry Lamb's article: The Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency also have grant programs that promote the implementation of Agenda 21's sustainable development recommendations. Perhaps more than any other influence, Agenda 21 is responsible for transforming government from a servant of the people to the master of the people. Agenda 21 is the outgrowth of a fundamental transformation of philosophy established in 1976 at the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements. That conference adopted a document which said: Land ... cannot be treated as an ordinary asset, controlled by individuals and subject to the pressures and inefficiencies of the market. Private land ownership is also a principal instrument of accumulation and concentration of wealth and therefore contributes to social injustice.... Public control of land use is therefore indispensible. In other words, the United Nations believes that government knows better how to use our land than we do and it wants to take away our property rights and control of that land. Bobbi Crawford, resident of 780 Archdale Drive in Concord in the Farm Hill community, addressed high property taxes, noting her taxes were raised in 2008 to $1,032.00 when the property was appraised at $90,000.00. Now, her taxes are $3,127.00 after the value was reassessed at $179,000.00. She said an assumption was made that the entire community would sell as commercial property. She advised that Farm Hill is not commercially zoned and should not be taxed as such because it is residentially zoned. Further, she addressed tax increases in other developments located across the interstate. She explained that homes in the Farm Hill community are very old single and double -wide mobile homes and some are falling apart. She addressed Kannapolis' desire to have "tall striking buildings" located there and expressed concern for residents' ability to pay high taxes while living on Social Security benefits. She also commented on the difficulties encountered when a neighbor's heir attempted to put another residential structure back on the property at the front of the development. Finally, she advised that the development's covenants prohibit commercial property unless all property owners sell out. Barbara Burrage, resident of 558 Sagewood Place SW in Concord and read the following statement: Mr. Chairman, Vice Chairman and Commissioners, I would like to address the Thread Trail also. I have not been a part of some of the other information that has gone through the circuit. I would like to know what is the cost, analysis and benefits? What is the concept and history regarding this project? It is more in depth I think, than any of us realize. We have not even begun to scratch the surface of what it means and what it will mean to our future. I am not anti - recreational, I am not anti - parks, I am not anti - growth, I am just anti - government taking everything from us and giving us nothing. This is a $17 million dollar stimulus debt. I repeat debt, not a freebie like all are promoting it to be. In reality it is another "Shovel Ready Job ". I would certainly appreciate and expect great consideration on behalf of the taxpayers and voters, respectfully. Will you give us a solid definite answer to these questions? I would like to interject right here. I would like to thank the military both living and dead for this right to stand before you tonight, the right for everybody to vote or not vote, the right to think, not think, the right to speak or not speak, the right to be heard. We have families suffering, losses, and devastations so I can do this and you can do your job. For that I am grateful and I salute the families of all who have served. What does it do for unemployment? We are at 12 percent, last quote I read. What type of product does it offer to produce an income for a tax base? Our economy is so fragile here and throughout the nation, we are not immune from a total collapse.