My dad was well into his age of curmudgeonry when water packaged in plastic bottles began appearing on grocery and convenience store shelves.
Of all the newfangled foolishness that emerged in his later years, the idea of bottled water was the most perplexing. Charging people good money for something they could get out of their own tap for next to nothing was the height of lunacy and a sure sign of the end times, as far as he was concerned.
As the clock begins to tick on the city’s plans for annexing two areas to the south and east of the current city limits, I have a pretty good idea of what Dad would think of the idea.
It’s bottled water all over again.
Discussions about annexation have been going on for more than a month. Over that time, it’s pretty clear that citizens both inside and outside the planned annexation areas aren’t too keen on the idea.
First at a public meeting and later, during a work session where data provided by the Golden Triangle Development LINK, the majority of the city council — Ethel Stewart, Joseph Mickens, Pierre Beard and Stephen Jones — have listened. It’s clear the citizens and the LINK have given them much to ignore.
Under the plan, the median household income, per capita income, labor-participation rate, home values and home ownership all go down while the poverty rate goes up.
It will cost the city close to $400,000 to absorb areas where poverty is high and growth potential is low.
From a business perspective, it makes no sense at all.
But we must remember that it’s Christian compassion that drives the pro-annexation majority of the board.
Mickens quoted scripture about helping the poor. Jones said he wants to help people who are left behind.
The primary way to help these poor folks is to make them pay taxes for services they already have.
From law enforcement to fire protection to garbage pick-up to water, sewer and electric services to roads to schools, the services the city would provide under annexation are services those in the affected areas already have. In most cases, there would be no change at all in the services, aside from the privilege of paying city taxes.
There is one thing the city would provide that residents currently don’t have — building codes. Applying city building codes would mean folks would have to come into compliance. Guess who gets to pay for that? The poor folks that the Annexation Four are so determined to help.
My advice to poor people: If you see Stewart, Mickens, Beard or Jones coming your way, run. You don’t want the help they’re offering.
Putting aside this nonsense, the four council members in favor of this annexation have made no credible case for it. It doesn’t materially help those in the annexed area, but is likely to be a drain on city services that are already stretched to the limit. Who benefits?
County Supervisor Leroy Brooks has said what others may have believed but were reluctant to state — annexation is about increasing Black voting strength. The proposed annexation areas are predominantly Black in a city that, according to the latest census data, is already 63.7% Black.
What the city is doing here is akin to the kind of gerrymandering we often see in legislative districts — an effort to manipulate voting strength for political purposes. It is wrong when districts are drawn up to create overwhelming white districts and just as wrong when a city uses annexation to create the same imbalance to increase Black voting strength.
In both cases, good, fair, truly representative government is diminished and our communities weakened and divided.
This plan is bad from every angle you look at it.
The only saving grace for bottled water, as my dad proved, is that you don’t have to buy it if you don’t want it.
That doesn’t apply to annexation, though. Once you’re in, you’re paying for something you already have.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 40 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
