Remaining Purposely Silent in the Kabuki Theater that is the Beaufort County Commission | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Beaufort County Commissioners have many duties, but the most important responsibility that is theirs to reconcile is the setting of an ad valorem (property) tax rate. Each year in late spring, and before the "drop dead date" of June 30, your county commissioners take the county manager's recommended budget: Decide what to leave in, what to take out, negotiate what it will cost to provide for a county government, and thereby set a county tax rate. It's not "rocket science," but lately, it has become Beaufort County's version of Kabuki theater.

    Kabuki Theater of a certain Beaufort County variety: Stylized drama of an all male cast, but without the Japanese, and without the makeup, well ... mostly without the makeup. Sometimes Hood's cheeks retain such a rich rosy glow.

    This is the best of Kabuki: Strong characters, characters who seem be in perpetual soliloquy explaining themselves, their message, over and over until we become exhausted from the exhaustive drone of the politicians searching for political cover at a time when there is no cover to be found.

    One wonders why these "men of the people" need any political cover at any time. But as I live and breathe and understand politics as well as I do, I'm here to tell you we all need political cover from time to time.

    First, I'll begin with myself: A man who needs no introduction. For me in this budget cycle - after the budget workshops and all the meaningless talk, talk, talk - I had to prove that I would cut the programs, which I believe are of a great benefit relative to their cost, in order to exact the deeper cuts in the popular programs that are significantly over funded relative to other comparable counties.

    Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson actually believes his principal part upon the Kabuki stage is that he will make a difference. I actually believe he believes that on all issues wisdom will prevail, so he will cajole his fellow commissioners in unrelenting, unfaltering Hood fashion, to "step up," and be wise in their judgments, which I believe is a contradiction in the construct of Democrat politics. Obviously, Hood is not making much of an impression lately on the other five exceedingly more-Liberal members on the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners.

    One can fault Hood for his communication style, but one should never call into question the man's patience. I am in awe of the man's patience. Contrary to the opinion of some, Hood must have a deep well of unsung humility, because therein is the place where patience dwells. Quite a paradox of truth is our Commissioner Richardson.

    I do not possess the man's patience, for I have lost what is left of my patience with the board's other two Republicans - and I use this misnomer in the loosest of terms.

    Remember this inarguable fact: They (these two quasi-Republicans) raised your ad valorem taxes because of their past Liberal positions on wasteful spending and poor management of the county's resources. They will both be responsible in the future for any additional increases because both, for political purposes, were directly responsible for Beaufort County's losing the CHS and the LEP bids, and therefore forcing the county to settle for giving away a county asset (county hospital complex) worth over 55 million dollars to their friends (their political network of supporters) in Pitt County (UHS). This smells terrible, so you can understand who might qualify as the villains in this Kabuki theater of the absurd.

    Commissioner Al Klemm, however, does not "Remain Purposely Silent in the Kabuki Theater that is the Beaufort County Commission" of the absurd. He talks incessantly, when given the floor, on his favorite subject - himself, or a derivation of such - and is committed to giving a full explanation that he knows what he is doing as a county commissioner. Are you convinced yet?

    Commissioner Klemm's political accomplice, Commissioner Jay McRoy, prides himself on being the "numbers man" - and always has been as he would have us to believe. Respectfully, the numbers of late have not been adding up too well. During the final budget workshop, just before they raised your tax rate by 6%, Commissioner McRoy tried to use his funny-numbers system, which he is so famous for. I called into question the Commissioner's recent-past track record, which included his near-decade run as the county representative on the hospital board, to lend some perspective on his fiscal sleight-of-hand. Moments later, to this Commissioner's surprise, I witnessed the outgoing county manager, Paul Spruilll, take serious umbrage with Commissioner McRoy's fiscal cunning, which fortunately and abruptly put an end to his apparent craftiness.

    The other three commissioners, all registered Democrats, generally are the pawns within this Kabuki tale of tragic consequences, with great comic relief. All three generally ride the fence, watch, and consistently move in at the end to do exactly what their constituents wish them to do: Raise taxes and redistribute the wealth.

    WAIT A MINUTE HERE! WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT? Maybe these three Democrat Commissioners are not the pawns after all. They certainly have questionable Republican Commissioners Jay McRoy and Al Klemm to do their bidding each spending-and-taxing season. Maybe these three Democrats are the sly managers of the moment.

    For countless years, these three Democrat Commissioners have held total and unrepentant sway with Commissioners Klemm and McRoy. It certainly has not been these pale-Republican Commissioners' constituents - if any are real Republicans - left sitting in doughty silence, littering their backstage section of this annual Kabuki production. They must be few in number by now.

    It is my job, however, to notice these affairs. Remember, I remain purposely quiet. I make mention of such in the afterglow of the dying performance of each year's county budget season. Stay tuned.