Socialism is alive and well in and around Salisbury. A few years ago a Daily Times editor - Joe Cacchiolla telephoned me and asked what I thought about Dresser's move to Austin, Texas.
Back then I informed him that I was quite sure that the facility would be purchased by the college along with most all other adjacent private industry properties and he thought I was exaggerating.
Well folks even despite this steep recession whereby 17% of our youth are unemployed - the college continues to spend taxpayers dollars like there is no tomorrow. The City's tax base continues to diminish as your local, State, and Federal government continues its massive expansion.
If this doesn't fit the definition of Socialism then I don't know what does.
You won't see any of this kind of coverage out The Daily Times because they are part of the mechanized 'machinery'.
Having the University expand is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThey are going for a numbers strategy.
ReplyDeleteNo SATs now required, let's "push em thru".
Not interested in quality, just numbers. Must be where the money is, eh?
for who?
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be their Cole FIeld House. Watch and see.
ReplyDeleteThey are going to Quantity now vs. Quality. More $$$$. Education has become a business.
ReplyDeleteshoulnt the demo of empty buildings be good for the community? When's the next tunnel of overpass going to be built for that end of campus??
ReplyDeleteRight. This is a bad thing because college students never spend any money and education is a horrible thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen will people understand that a "quality of life" infrastructure will attract business and industry that hires people who work and pay taxes?
Everything in this country is about profit.
ReplyDeleteIn a civilized society, some things like hospitals, schools, libraries, highways, parks, military, fire, police, etc, benefit the entire community and are supported and paid for by the entire community. If this is socialism then so be it. Go live in a cave if you don't want to be part of a civilized society.
ReplyDeleteYou have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, Beezer. This isn't socialism, and it is VERY good for the community at large. It's like I've always said, people in this town will complain about anything and everything.
ReplyDeleteHalf way their partner.
ReplyDeleteWasn't the private SU Foundation the one who bought most of the property for the university? The university needs to expand to accomodate the increasing number of students that want to go to college. Would you rather them buy up all of the residential areas to expand? The only issue I see is that the properties are now off the tax rolls.
ReplyDeleteIf you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
ReplyDeleteAny one of you ever been to Madison, Wisconsin.
ReplyDeleteIf not, go see what that University has done for that town.
If Salisbury aspires to that, I will stay here forever.
Job security for the illegals that will get thw work, its not our responsibility if the sub contractors hire them, yes it is.
ReplyDeleteThe city of Salsibury annexes property into the town limits regularly but no one ever comments on how the "tax base is growing". SU buys property and the vocal minority whine about the dollars leaving the tax rolls. Get over it! SU is great for this town and Dresser isnt coming back. Besides, manufactoring should locate in the industrial park with the rest of the similiar type businesses. The parcel will serve SU well and is a great opportunity for the school.
ReplyDelete"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."
ReplyDeleteNow that's funny.
How naive. It's not about education, it's about an educational empire.
Lot's of "good" jobs at those universities.
Many of those jobs, especially those at the top, pay quite a bit more the larger the "university" grows.
I am happy enough for the university to be demolishing the building and reconstructing something. It will probably be very helpful for the SUperfresh and the other business in that complex. However, the issue of the properties coming off the tax rolls is a concern. There havce been many: Shoreland Freezers, Nolan, Dresser, etc. Maybe a structure for a payment in leiu of taxes like they do in some other areas would be an equitable solution. If you think about all of the non-taxable buildings that are in the commercial areas of Salisbury it could help to make things more fair for everyone. I saw that SU was on the agenda for the last council meeting to ask for a waiver of their cable franchise bill. Please! Does anyone know how that turned out?
ReplyDeleteGet su to buy the downtown plaza
ReplyDeletethose jobs at SU are just welfare for the over educated who contribute nothing to society.
ReplyDeleteMy tax dollars paying Janet over 150,000 a year, come on! Is she worth that much? not to mention what the deans of each department are making. SU can do what they want, like taking all the out of state kids over in state kids = higher tuition. Just don't ask me to pay for it! And make no mistake about it, we are paying for it!
We would have so much more unemployment if we did not have the college. We are lucky to have SSU.
ReplyDeleteBeezer---I think your uneducated former Dresser Wayne employee self should avail himself of a computer or dictionary (the book you are using for a shim for your recliner) and look up socialism. These properties are not being confiscated. They are being negotiated on the private market between the owner of the building and land and the SU Foundation (not the state ) You attempting to interfere of this gentlemen's right to sell/contract is the socialist notion in your inept diatribe. What gas pump business do you know of that would have taken over dresser wayne??? There are none. The citizens of this city should remain eternally grateful that this University is expanding and taking derelict properties and erecting beautiful structures and raising the value of everyone's property. Also to the commenters that say it is all about the #'s and not quality; I too would suggest you actually verify the accuracy of your statement. Salisbury had over 8000 applications and accepted the the threshold of 1500. 1200 said yes.....staggering to me. The no SAT requirement only applies to students who have an unweighted GPA of 3.5. What student do you know of with that GPA hasn't been a total success? It has actually raised SU's stature; not the opposite as you suggest. I hope the school continues to expand and most importantly, removing properties from the tax rolls. Hopefully at that moment, the county will move in and take over the city and just turn it into one large water sewer district. One can dream......................
ReplyDeleteSince the 1970's the cost of college tuiton as gone up a lot faster than inflation. So many parents send their kids to comunity college now. You can also go to collge online. I think the old model of going to collge and living in dorms and spending on brick and mortar is to expensive. Is a four year degree neccesary for many jos. We have to rethink our proirities.
ReplyDelete110 If you haven't noticed the companies out in the idustrial park are dropping like flies??? this city does not seem to be interested in attracking new jobs here???
ReplyDeleteFirst they have to test the ground to make sure it is not contaiminated to build on. If it is all it will be is a parking lot. As for the old building, tear them all down.
ReplyDeleteThis area needs all the new things and hopefully it brings classier people.
Whew, I have to say there are a great number of folks who do not care to learn the truth. While I may not have all of the facts, I do know that it was a long time in planning this process for SU. (no, don't work there, didn't attend SU other than one class during a winter session in the early 80s).
ReplyDeleteA healthy SU means a healthy Salisbury. Builders and tradesmen and women are working on the demo and construction that would otherwise be unemployed. This is the kind of stimulus that matters. Not just a road or a bridge, but building that will house students or workers. Students pay into the local economy in a big way. SU employees buy houses and start families which mean the have to shop for necessities and hopefully some luxuries. Those businesses pay local personal property taxes DIRECTLY to the local government. All of this is GOOD for the economy and NOT just a shovel ready project that the Obama administration is plowing money into. Once the shovels are done in those stimulus jobs, the money goes away. With SU bricks and mortar, the money keeps coming and will keep on well into the future.
Wake up! The fact is that a person with a Bachelor's degree will earn, on average, 5 times more over their lifetime than one with just a high school diploma. Sure, college students can be a problem in certain circumstances, but overall, SU is a blessing to your community.
You're a fool Beazer
ReplyDelete