62% of Watauga County residents voted against a quarter-cent sales tax to generate $1.9 million annually for recreational purposes. The organized opposition suggested taxpayers had better things to do with their money; namely, they wished to survive the the recession and pay down the $70 million in debt recently incurred for the county’s schools. (I should be happy at the success keeping power and money in the private sector, but I’m puzzled why people supposed denying government more money would help it get out of debt.)