I Dufus went to AB Tech today to pick up a copy of their master plan. I went where I was told a copy would be waiting for me. I was told it was on the table. I reached for the big notebook. “No,” said Communications Director Mona Cornwell as she tried to hold down a conversation on the phone. Still self-assured, I reached for the packet of papers stapled together. “No,” indicated Cornwell. After a bout of sign language, I realized the master plan was a half page containing nineteen line items and their corresponding six-zero dollar amounts.
The Buncombe County Commissioners gave the consideration of allowing the quarter-cent tax increase on the ballot more time than was expected. Their reputation for bolting is as good as Asheville City Council’s for holding slumber parties. During public comment, Jerry Rice tried to put a face on the unemployed, under-insured taxpayer from a foreclosed home. Don Yelton asked why Mission Hospital wanted taxpayers to pay for training their staff when they are rich enough to gobble up other healthcare centers and take all kinds of property off the tax rolls. Sheriff Van Duncan stayed long enough to support the tax while he happened to be there, and Dwight Butner thought it would be a good idea to raise the tax since he was expecting the state to sunset the 1% sales tax in the summer.
The commissioners, of course, voted unanimously in favor of having the referendum. Some were bold enough to say they supported the tax, too. Yelton said it was a little tasteless for AB Tech to spend money on promotional materials for Mayor Terry Bellamy and Commission Chair David Gantt before coming before the county to ask for money.