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November 18, 2002 Page 490
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<br />(I) COMMISSIONERs DISCUSSION & RESPONSE TO INFORMAL PUBLIC COMMENTS
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<br />Commissioner Fennel presented the following Comments.
<br />
<br /> Arne Fennel's Comments
<br /> November 18, 2002
<br />Thank You
<br />I would like to take this opportunity to thank the citizens of Cabarrus
<br />County for the opportunity you gave me to serve you as a county
<br />commissioner eight of the last ten years. We have accomplished much, but
<br />I feel that I am leaving the Board at a very difficult time for our
<br />children, working families and seniors citizens. They are people that I
<br />have worked so hard to protect from higher taxes and to provide a better
<br />quality of life for in Cabarrus County.
<br />
<br />I have enjoyed tremendously serving the people of Cabarrus County and
<br />working with our excellent County Commissioners (both past and present),
<br />and the employees of the best county in North Carolina, Cabarrus County.
<br />I have especially enjoyed the professional relationship I have developed
<br />with people like Frank Clifton, Maurice Ewing, Jonathan Marshall (and
<br />Jerry Newton before him), Mike Downs, Jim Cook, Phred Pilkington, Steve
<br />Little, John Day, Blair Bennett, Don Cummings and others, too many to
<br />mention here tonight. Also, stalwarts in the community like Raiford
<br />Troutman, Bunk Whitley, David Snyder, Tom Ramseur, Dr. Sammie Ports,
<br />Robin Hayes, Fletcher Hartsell, and others that I now call my friends.
<br />And I do not want to forget my friends that passed before us like David
<br />Drye and Ben Mynatt, who gave the community and me so much.
<br />
<br />However, I have not enjoyed the politics played by the governor of the
<br />state, and on occasion by my peers. Nor have I enjoyed the adversarial
<br />position taken by Dale Cline, editor of the Independent Tribune. There
<br />have been some outstanding reporters for the Tribune that have left
<br />because of the embarrassment caused by Mr. Cline. But since he can buy
<br />ink by the barrel, he has chosen to write hate-filled editorials against
<br />all Republicans 'in general, but me in particular because I was unwilling
<br />to back down from his liberal rhetoric and personal attacks.
<br />Unfortunately, there can be no reasonable discussion of the issues while
<br />he is dividing the county as he does. The county deserves much better
<br />than that. For example, when I was appointed to the Economic Development
<br />Corporation, Dale Cline stated that it was "scary to think that I would
<br />be the first Cabarrus County representative that many new businesses
<br />would meet." That was the first of many times Cline was wrong about me.
<br />
<br />For the record, as the first President of the newly reorganized Economic
<br />Development Corporation in 1994, I helped put into place an incentive
<br />plan that became the model for all of North Carolina. We attracted enough
<br />businesses to give the citizens of Cabarrus County a 5 to 1 return on
<br />every dollar invested in economic development over the last eight years.
<br />It brought to Cabarrus County companies like Dai Nippon, Owens Corning,
<br />Stanley Works, Sysco Foods, Concord Mills, and yes, Corning, Inc.
<br />Corning is going through tough times right now, like other companies, and
<br />we should keep them and their employees'in our prayers, but let me tell
<br />you what Corning has done for the tax base of Cabarrus County. Corning's
<br />investment of $850,000,000 has paid $7,656,000 of property taxes over the
<br />last seven years and our inducement during those same years was
<br />$1,662,000. Therefore, Cabarrus County has realized an almost $6,000,000
<br />windfall from Corning's decision to locate here. Without incentives we
<br />would not have had a chance to even talk to Corning. Do incentives work?
<br />Absolutely! Can you do economic development without it? Sure! But, it
<br />is like sending a soldier into a war armed only with a B-B gun.
<br />
<br />What else has Economic Development done for us? It allowed us to improve
<br />our Bond rating through diversification of industries and, therefore,
<br />lower our interest costs to borrow for capital projects. And most of
<br />all, it allowed us to build ten new schools since 1996 and make major
<br />additions to several other schools. All while lowering the property tax
<br />rate from 70 cents to 56 cents. Therefore, it is clear to see, these
<br />commercial tax base increases have helped our children, working families
<br />and senior citizens.
<br />
<br />Did I mention Parks and Recreation? Three major parks, WW Flowe, North
<br />Kannapolis and the Soccer Complex at Frank Liske Park, all opened in the
<br />last four years. We have put into place with the blessing of the county
<br />and all the surrounding cities a Livable Community Blueprint to guide us
<br />for many years to come. All as a result of economic development and a
<br />doubling of our tax base.
<br />
<br />Warning
<br />Now my concern. I am very worried that the majority of county
<br />commissioners have become adversarial to our economic development efforts
<br />in Cabarrus County. This is the very economic development that allowed
<br />us to build new schools and new parks while reducing the property tax
<br />rate.
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