The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-04-25
SITUATION
Continued from Page One)

those who cannot own homes, will
cease to build. Those who now
rent property, will have to raise
the rents. So a hardship will be
worked on the man who doesn't
own property.
A man should not use the power
conferred upon him by any office
given him by the people in order
to gain something for his private
use. He should not use it to force
any firm or person to pay h m
tribute, or to pay him that they
might get a square deal. MOI
should he use his power for re-
venge, or to despoil those who are
not his friends, or those he doesn't
like.
1t is being quietly whispered
around, in hope of pleasing the
people, and to get them to vote
for the board, that the Board is
going to wipe out 1870 of the val.
uation for which they have spent
the $4,000.
If they are going to do this
why waste the money in the first
place?
We have many people in Dare
County competent to value the
property, and able and fair-mindec
men could have been employed al
home to do the job, if it had beer
known that even a third of $4,000
was to be spent for it. But the
people were told nothing.
The Commissioners didn't ever
have the courtesy or consideration
toward the people, to have then
"overworked" Clerk to the BOARD
send a notice to the taxpayers
telling them what had been done
and who these strangers would BIS
who would wander around theil
property with with notebook AND
tapeline. They didn't even pub
lish a notice of their action, mol
outline the qualifications of the
men to whom they were delegating
such far-reaching authority ovel
the property Of Dare County peo-
pie.
The action of the County board
is an insult to the intelligence OF
the voters of Dare County.
1t is crime against the people
and the public interest.
1t is an insult to the many ca
pale and experienced builders OF
Dare County, and we have many
of them.
1t is an insult to the many COM
petent and honest real-esate mer
in Dare County, and we have a
large number of them who have
lived here the larger part of then
lives and whose knowledge and ex-
perience in all reason should out
weigh the value of all the import
ed brains available in this line OF
work.
Some of the Board said "the
people" wanted it done; that they
considered it the only fair way
Now let these Dare County people
come forward. We would like to
have the list of these citizens who
raised the cutlery and demanded
the Commissioners go to New Jer-
sey for experts" to determine how
much taxes we are going to pay.
Let the Board give us the names
of these citizens who appealed
to them to bring in foreigners to
assure them fair play they could
not expect from their home people
The whole thing is disrespectful
insulting and disgraceful to the
citizenship of Dare County who
heretofore had expressed their
confidence in the Commissioners
and some others in the courthouse
What does it matter to the Com
missioners They pay little taxes
Usually their property is valued
lower than that of their neighbors,
One Commissioner has already
Dragged his taxes will be nine dol
lars less this year. How can he
know that this will be, when he
doesn't know what the rate will be.
In fact, it has not been known of
any instance where he knew of
anything that was going on during
the meeting of the board.
The whole thing has reached the
point where about two Commits
sioners and the Clerk to the Board
run the whole thing, whether in
meetings or out of meetings.
This thing has reached dis
graceful stage. Blood has been
shed over less serious matters. The
people will not stay long content
to put up with the situation. A
group of men who ride so rough
shod over the rights of the citi-
zens, may expect more and more
trouble. There are times when peo-
pie revolt and won't pay taxes
They are times when citizens use
force to keep themselves from be-
ing sold out. They are times when
hot angers rise uncontrollably
uyhan ono 80 docposlad of l,;e NOR,