At a regional meeting held at Western Carolina University, county commissioners spoke against reductions in state aid. They did not approve of the governor’s proposed cuts to Education Lottery funding that has traditionally been available for school construction. They further don’t want to have to spend a certain amount on creating digital classrooms when creature comforts, or building contracts, are unmet.

In addition, the commissioners do not want to lose grants from the Rural Economic Development Center and the Golden Leaf Foundation. As evidence of the programs’ expendability, leadership at the meeting suggested commissioners compile a list of projects funded thereby to show their legislators. Another bill would halve the number of DOT divisions.

Other points of interest listed by the gathered boards of commissioners included: protecting funds for parks and recreation, receiving election machine maintenance money from the federal government, keeping inmate medical costs low and banning synthetic drugs.