Compelling Questions for Dare County

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Sandy Semans Ross has written a most compelling post on her blog concerning financial issues that Dare County will be facing in the immediate future. Semans Ross doesn't mince words. She isn't afraid to ask the tough questions and to offer sound advice that, to some, might not be politically palatable.



(click here to sign )

A registered Independent voter, who is seeking to get her name on the November ballot for county commissioners, Semans Ross is also retiring this week from her job as Managing Editor of the Outer Banks Sentinel. Her experience with community and governmental matters is extensive and she is offering herself for service to Dare County residents once she retires. It's a good offer and locals would do well to sign her petition and give her a chance to speak more on our behalf.

EyeonDare urges you to take the time to read and consider the questions poised by Ms. Ross. One thing is sure, Ross knows Dare County faces some tough decisions in the coming year. With a new property revaluation, the commissioners will probably be forced with huge cutbacks in county spending or some unpopular tax increases. Semans Ross says there is room for compromise. EyeonDare agrees.

Most likely, if you are reading this blog entry and you live in Dare County, your own municipality has already voted to raise your town taxes this year. And, that increase will occur for two reasons. (1) As Ross has said many times in the Outer Banks Sentinel, our county's formula for distributing sales and occupancy taxes is foiled so badly that it sets each town up like a row of dominoes where each town has to raise taxes, if only because another town chose to do it. We all lose, and that formula needs to be changed. (2) every town in the county knows there is a county tax increase coming next year, and almost every town board has chosen to get ahead and set their own tax increase this year.

But, who is asking the tough questions and willing to live with the tough answers? EyeonDare believes that Semans Ross can and will do that, if given the chance. And that's the reason EOD urges you to download a copy of the petition here and mail it to her address before Wednesday of this week. November is just around the corner.

Footnote: Sandy Semans Ross, 133 Bayview Drive, Stumpy Point, NC 27978, or call Sandy at 305-7284