George Hartzman has an excellent post at his Substack. He points out how we have repeatedly, over the years, forked over many millions of dollars in Greensboro on projects that are intended to facilitate and accommodate growth. We were told that we would benefit because of this growth.
Presumably, because of a larger tax base, our taxes and fees would be held down or even reduced. Surely, for example, all of these large apartment complexes springing up everywhere would bring the city considerable tax revenue.
However, that turned out not to be the case. In fact, our esteemed city council has raised our taxes and fees repeatedly, to a major extent.
And what has that purchased?
The money has largely gone to city employees. We have loads of city employees making six figures. And yet, we don’t have enough police; and city inspectors are very sluggish responding to projects awaiting permits.
Hartzman points out that we spend lots of taxpayers’ money to facilitate projects being advanced by developers from the standpoint of water and sewer connections.
The average citizen who owns a home is being betrayed.
Hartzman is characterised by the establishment elites as someone who is tilting at windmills but he is actually the voice of Greensboro’s silent majority.
He is doing a really good job of late, Fred. And he backs up his points with research and data.