Beaufort County Commissioners Vote to Ignore the Referendum Process | Eastern North Carolina Now

Three Democrats, and one RINO County Commissioner vote to ignore the referendum process whenever it suits them

    It has become readily apparent that time is now.

    Beaufort County Commissioners have voted, 4 (Democrats: Jerry Langley, Ed Booth, Robert Belcher, RINO Al Klemm) to 2 (Republicans: Hood Richardson, Stan Deatherage) against a resolution, written by Stan Deatherage, 'In Support of the Democratic Concept of Referendums'. Democrat Commissioner Robert Belcher spoke for those commissioners against the referendum process, expressing that historically that the more conservative commissioners do not support these referendums when it comes to building new schools. Commissioner Belcher inferred that it was a hypocrisy to support that there be a referendum process for projects that are favored by the more Liberal / Authoritarian commissioners, but to not support the referendum process when the projects are ones that are not favored by the more conservative commissioners, which he claimed was the case in the past.

    In speaking in opposition of this resolution, which was in support of the hypothetical concept of giving the people the opportunity to become involved in this pure Democratic process of referendum voting, Commissioner Belcher did elect to speak in the direct context of the proposed construction of a new jail to be built in the Industrial Park - South, Chocowinity.

    As spokesman for the Liberal / Authoritarian position, Commissioner Belcher chose not to consider the hypothetical nature of Commissioner Deatherage's resolution, which was the purposeful context that this resolution was presented; but to defend the 'Gang of Four's' desire of building this proposed jail, and a new sheriff's office that has now been added: over 6 miles from the county seat of Washington, in a size that is more than double what is currently needed, at a time when Beaufort County government is struggling to 'make ends meet' without raising taxes.

    To bolster that Democrat argument, Commissioner Belcher claimed that it was a great hypocrisy for Conservatives to support the referendum process at some times, and not at others. What the liberal Commissioner failed to mention, or just can't understand, is that some projects are different in that they will not occur without the referendum for the general obligation bond. Other projects, like the proposed new jail and sheriff's office, has already been approved by a majority of county commissioners, with other financing already in place. The referendum would provide yet another avenue of financing with the general obligation bond, but, moreover, would allow the taxpayers an opportunity to express themselves, even though the 'Gang of Four' could still move forward as authoritarians should the People vote against the project.

    The difference between the this scenario, and the process that can only occur if the referendum passes, is that Conservatives, like myself, need to do all that is politically possible to stop bad decisions based on wasteful spending. In this one specific case cited by Commissioner Belcher, the Conservatives did intend to do all they could to stop the continuance of an unwise capital project, which this school construction project did turn out to be - possibly the worst of a long list of poorly planned, and poorly implemented capital projects by the habitually hapless Beaufort County School Board, which Commissioner Belcher has had the distinct pleasure of serving on.

    And yes, I have long been one those county commissioners in opposition to these poor projects, and am resolved to use whatever means possible to end these public money wasting ventures. That is what real Conservatives do.

    Liberals embrace nearly all large capital spending projects, irrespective of their real need. That is what true Liberals do, and in that ongoing relationship of Liberal versus Conservative 'never the twain shall meet.'

    Here below is the aforementioned resolution discussing only the concept of the referendum process. The jail is not mentioned in the resolution:

Resolution in Support of the Democratic Concept of Referendums

    Whereas, in North Carolina, the referendum process is a democratic procedure, as stipulated by North Carolina General Statute 159-49, for the electorate of a local government to directly pledge its respective governing body the taxing authority in support of bonds that would constitute a substantial obligation, and,

    Whereas, a substantial obligation of funding always creates a civic strain, whereby a community will need to borrow heavily from a Fund Balance ("Rainy Day Fund"), immediately raise taxes or secure appropriate financing, or both or all three, and,

    Whereas, The spending, or borrowing of large sums of money, which almost always raises taxes, and always raises the constant strain of extra expenditures verses revenues on hand, thereby being a cause of concern for the fiscally prudent members of the electorate for that local government, and,

    Whereas, Bond Referendums are always the perfect procedure to democratically test the fiscal will of all voting taxpayers on their perception of the prudence of any public project - fiscal and otherwise - which, furthermore, obligates that citizenry to participate in understanding just what their local government does, therefore,

    Let it be resolved that the Beaufort County Board of County Commissioners do hereby understand the precepts of the public's participation in the democratic process of bond referendums, and, therefore, will always pledge to allow for the public's input by ballot on substantial obligations of the public's money.

    Written by Commissioner Stan Deatherage for passage by the Beaufort County Commissioners on November 4, 2013.