Our Blue Albatross | Eastern North Carolina Now

(or How to Fail Without Really Trying)

    Critical thinking is not one of the finer points of being a County Commissioner. Take the blue goose also known by the Economic Development Council as Quick Start II. There is nothing quick about it, It has sat there for almost 4 years at a cost of 2.4 million. That is 9 percent of your taxes this year.

   My purpose in proposing to the Board of commissioners to list it as real estate was to get the property under private ownership so the tax payers expense would stop and we could begin to collect taxes on the property. We would then collect about $12,000 in taxes each year. Considering deterioration expense and the tax income, the tax payer would have a $20,000 per year swing. Add the interest burden at even 4 percent and that total moves from 20 to $116, per year. Now we are talking real money. It is easy to see therre are only two commissioners who have business experience.

   I was surprised to hear the gang of five say we could not sell the building unless the new owner provided 50 new jobs. Think about this, the building is in a restricted subdivision, only industry is allowed. I can only presume commissioners thought someone would buy this 50,000 square foot building, pitch a tent in it and build a camp fire. Another thought, how many buildings are being sold anywhere with the guarantee of providing jobs in addition to paying for the building? Would anyone buy this building for any purpose other than to go into business? So, whomever we can unload this turkey on is an advantage to the taxpayers of Beaufort County. And we get another business.

   What are the motives of the Gang of Five and their brother decision makers at the Economic Development Council and the Committee of 100? Could it be they want to stay in control and decide who benefits from what ever deals they decide to offer. Could it be they want to stay in control and see who benefits from the revenue stream that comes with he sale. There could be tax credits from the state and property tax benefits from the county. There will be house sales, insurance and various service sales to the new business and their employees. Are they trying to keep their buds in line to profit?

   There is one more angle in this thing. There could be several hundred thousand dollars of grant money inside the $1,382,000 loan from the NC Department of Commerce. Let me see. Some people say that is free money. So, if we sold the building at a discount and we then financed the balance through some deal with the Committee of 100 they could do a loan for less than the value of the building. The Committee of 100 would lease to the new industry. Then the County would get our one million or there abouts out and the Committee of 100 could pocket several hundred thousand. This would leave the Committee of 100 making payments on smaller loan while collecting rents on a two million dollar value. Very interesting. Ain’t government wonderful.

   The best advantage to Beaufort County taxpayers is to get our 2.4 million dollars back by selling the building to who ever has the money.