DAILY JOURNAL - NOVEMBER 15, 2011

WAKE HOPES FOR IMPROVED CREDIT RATING

FUTURE TAXES FOR EMPTY TRAINS?

HOLLY SPRINGS, DEBT AND TAXES

DEMOCRAT LEE BLAMES NEWSPAPER FOR LOSS

MORRISVILLE HAS BUDGET SURPLUS

BETTY LOU WARD - THE EXPERIENCED TRAVELER

Monday afternoon's Wake Commissioners meeting proved to be pretty lively.

Beyond the fact that Harold Webb cut off Commissioner Tony Gurley from speaking against Webb's sacred cow of forced busing (yes - the great program that puts minority children on old buses for hours on end each week and somehow that makes them smarter), Paul Coble seemed to provoke a hyper-sensitive response from Betty Lou Ward.

Hmmm.

Commissioner Coble made an entirely reasonable suggestion. That being that the County Commissioners participate in budget cuts as they are asking all Wake County Departments to do.

Paul did not even suggest doing away with trips, which would have suited Wake Community just fine. He suggested that perhaps just one commissioner travel and report back.

Heck he even suggested that Betty Lou could attend "since she was so experienced at it."

Wonder why?

Because Paul Coble suggested taking away Betty's sacred cow.

Betty Lou Ward is legendary for never meeting a taxpayer funded trip she didn't like.

Watch the video here. Under the video screen go to the "Jump To" bar and scroll down to the consent agenda. It's the first video that will appear once you jump to the consent agenda.

And what does Betty Lou Ward have to say about Wake County taxpayer funded trips?

"Commissioner Betty Lou Ward said she supports putting the public records online ...... "

"You're held up to a lot more scrutiny when you use public money than if you're in a private sector job," Ward said.

"Ward said more oversight might be needed to ensure county money isn't wasted."

"I think there will definitely be changes. In the 20 years that I've been a commissioner, nothing like this has ever happened," she said.

You can probably gather that Betty Lou was not speaking about her personal trips.

We applaud Betty Lou Ward for wanting to put the public records online and hope that she'll hold herself to the same standard she wants of others.

Here's a great place where a link should be posted front and center.

Ask Betty Lou Ward why her travel records aren't posted online. You can email her at _____________ . Oh that's right, she's the only Wake Commissioner who does not list an email address.

MEMO TO HARVEY SCHMITT

You have your 120th annual meeting this Tuesday at the Convention Center. What a great opportunity for you to stand before all your members and pronounce your proud support and cooperation with the Wake Education Partnership to raise property taxes in Wake County by 67%.

You can explain to them how this will help them "connect, succeed and grow."

Related Story

APPEAL YOUR REVALUATION

Americans for Prosperity NC held a great overview of the revaluation process for Wake County residents last night.

This is the first of two steps to keep the reassesment process from impacting your family's financial health for the worse. The second step is to step up and let the county commissioners know that you want the reassesment to be revenue neutral.

There is currently a move afoot by the downtown elites to further tax Wake County homeowners by hiding a tax increase in the revaluation process.

If you want more information about AFP's forum last night, click here.