THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 12, 1995 TAG: 9502120056
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: PAUL SOUTH
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Last week, as President Clinton and Newt Gingrich talked about reducing government and North Carolina's Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. speechified about giving the slash to taxes, the rest of us were reminded of one of the great truths of democratic government.
Politicians have short memories.
Just this week, the University of North Carolina System's board of governors came to the Outer Banks to meet and plan and schmooze and do all the things that such panels do.
They met at the Sanderling Inn, a very nice, upscale hotel in the equally nice, upscale community of Duck. Now, the Sanderling is a swell place, particularly in July when the weather is warm and the sun is out. And it serves great corned beef sandwiches.
The problem isn't that the university overseers stayed at the Sanderling. That's something I, along with members of my family, would love to do. The problem is that it cost the taxpayers $18,920 for three days.
That's right, $18,920.
According to the Associated Press, that includes 58 rooms, meals, equipment, conference rooms, labor and tax. Last year, the board held meetings at a conference center owned by UNC-Chapel Hill. The cost? $7,739.
Now, the reason board members gave for the Duck junket was to avoid interruptions and distractions. That being the case, for far less than $18,000, I would eagerly loan the governors the use of my Manteo apartment. It has a great view of the Elizabeth II and Shallowbag Bay. And I would throw in bologna sandwiches, Moon Pies, Dr Peppers and use of my CD player for the social hour. (Please put the Patsy Cline CD back in the box after you're finished).
The menu, of course, is inspired by what many college students eat following their after-class jobs, and what their parents eat as they struggle to pay for tuition, books, room and board.
By the way, $18,920 would pay for 23 semesters' worth of tuition at a UNC system institution, which translates into more teachers, doctors, engineers, architects and business leaders.
Now for another matter, the Dare County government complex. Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. was right the other day when he said the mood of the country was not for big spending. He warned county department heads that money would be tight in 1995-96.
Despite assurances that the construction of a new government building is not a done deal, the county appears to be moving quickly toward such a complex. All despite officials acknowledging that they don't know what the cost will be, and that a tax increase may be necessary to pay for it.
Uli Bennewitz, president of the Roanoke Island Business Association, made some good points recently in a letter to Commission Vice Chairman Clarence Skinner.
Bennewitz wrote: ``The RIBA is not opposed to the building of a new complex, as long as it makes economic sense, and will either provide increased revenue to the county or reduce the current level of expense paid by the county.''
If it cost $15 million to build the complex, Bennewitz asked, how long would it take to retire the obligation? Using a hypothetical situation, with a 5 percent interest rate, Bennewitz said the debt on a $15 million building would cost $1 million per year for 30 years. The county currently pays $450,000 annually to lease office space.
Bennewitz asked, ``Is a new complex worth an extra $500,000 to $600,000 annually in expense? How far could that go in providing increased services for the citizens of Dare County, such as upgraded schools, a new community college campus, a county hospital, retirement facilities, etc.?''
What ties the UNC board of governors and the Dare County Commission together goes back to politicians and their limited capacity to remember.
The state's grand poobahs of higher education forgot the elementary lesson of the November election. It wasn't about conservative over liberal, or right over left, or values over decadence.
The edict of Nov. 8 was about accountability and responsibility.
The board of governors forgot that lesson this week. How well the Dare County commissioners answer one businessman's questions will tell us how well they can remember the voters' message. by CNB