Good Billy makes an appearance
I wrote this a few weeks ago in an endorsment editorial about one of our more beloved commissioners:
So, which Billy Yow are we discussing today: the Good Billy Yow or the Bad Billy Yow?
The Good Billy Yow is a lot smarter than he lets on and capable of prudent votes on key issues such as the downtown property swap that paved the way for a new downtown ballpark in Greensboro. The Bad Billy Yow can be caustic and divisive, even when you’re convinced he knows better.
Yow’s a Hatfield to fellow County Commissioner Skip Alston’s McCoy when it comes to racial politics, and both have played starring roles in "The County Commissioners’ Most Forgettable Moments."
Good Billy seems sincere when he says he regrets past transgressions. Then, oops, Bad Billy goes and does it again.
Yow and Alston often lock horns in name-calling and petty childishness that embarrass the whole county and tarnish its image statewide and arguably beyond.
Well, you get the picture.
But I'll have to give credit to Good Billy this week.
As a conservative Republican, he doesn't stand to gain a lot by suggesting (egads!) a 1-cent sales tax increase for the November ballot.
But he knows the county budget desperately needs it and he knows it can provide a little relief to those who pay property taxes, by spreading the burden.
Even though Guilford legislators rebuffed his request, at least he tried.
Way to go, Good Billy.
Comments (4)
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Mr. Yow recognized the need to increase revenue to properly fund our schools and attempted to address that need. A brave act for a politician in a slumping economy. Moreover, Mr. Yow correctly recognized that the failure of the sales tax proposal on the May ballot was due more to poor wording and weak efforts to educate voters about the proposal than to an unwillingness among voters to support important county functions.
Posted on May 23, 2008 10:47 AM
I agree, and I respect his political courage.
I'm wondering who else would have the guts to step forward.
Posted on May 23, 2008 10:50 AM
Now that the bonds have (foolishly) been passed by voters, raising the sales tax is in theory a prudent thing to do The bonds will require a huge increase in property taxes and, as you note, property owners already are overburdened by taxes.
However, as a practical matter, I'm glad the sales tax proposal went nowhere. Sure, Billy Yow can say he wants all the additional sales tax to go to property tax relief. But that is out of his hands. The County Commissioners could decide to raise the sales tax AND still raise property taxes.
One good rule of thumb in politics is that tax increases become permanent and the money raised rarely goes to where it is intended. Until we can have some guarantee of fiscal responsibility, I'd rather not see a sales tax hike.
Posted on May 23, 2008 3:12 PM
You have a point, JS.
As a condition for the sales tax increase, Yow had called for a Board of Commissioners resolution stating that the new sales tax revenue would go to schools, but it would have been nonbinding.
But we could always vote the bums out if they reneged.
Posted on May 23, 2008 3:24 PM