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THE APPALACHIAN TheAppalachianOnline.com
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Town council opposes tax distribution change by CHELSEY FISHER Managing Editor
Watauga County commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday night to change the sales tax distribution for the county, even though it was opposed by Boone Town Council. The commissioners proposed the change after the town council approved the housing ordinances last month. These changes will not be official until May 1, so the town and county have time to come to an agreement. The changes will go into effect July 1 if they are not changed before the May 1 deadline. The new sales tax distribution will be ad valorem. This method favors areas that pay more in property taxes, according to the Watauga Democrat. The current method used is called the per capita method, which benefits areas with larger populations. If implemented, the Town of Boone will lose $2 million in revenue. This cut will make it more difficult for the town to provide services to residents of Boone, according to a statement released by the town council. During 2008-09, two-thirds of the sales tax in Watauga County came from Boone, according to the statement. Boone receives 25 percent of the revenue from the sale taxes with the current distribution method. If the new method is implemented, Boone would only receive 12 percent of the revenue, according to the statement. Thirty-two percent of Boone property does not pay taxes because it is either a government entity or a non-profit, including Appalachian State University. But these organizations still use the services provided by taxes such as police, the fire department and snow removal, according to the statement. During a town council meeting April 16, the council asked for mediation between them and the county commissioners in a closed session. The county commissioners rejected the invitation, according to the statement. The county commissioners said the meeting would be a violation of North Carolina’s open records law, but the town cited a 2006 N.C. Court of Appeals case between Asheville and Buncombe County that said if a lawsuit was threatened, there could be mediation in a closed session. Commissioner Chairman Nathan Miller threatened a lawsuit against the town in the Watauga Democrat, according to the statement. “We are very disappointed that the Watauga County Commissioners rejected our invitation to participate in a mediation to try to resolve the county’s threat to sue the Town of Boone to challenge the recently enacted ordinance, which was designed to increase housing opportunities for moderate-income people in Boone,” according to the statement. The town said that a compromise could easily be reached, so long as the county wanted to reach one as well. “If the county commission majority actually wanted to reach a compromise that met the legitimate goals of both entities, it could
see Council page 2
Vol. 87, No. 43
General Assembly voter bill is a non-partisan issue for students
by JOSHUA FARMER News Editor
T
he biannual College Republican and College Democrat debate series demonstrated that representatives of typically polarized ideologies on campus could find solidarity on at least one issue. Both organizations stood in disagreement with Senate bills 666 and 667, which could shorten the early voting period and deny families the opportunity to claim dependents that vote at an address other than that of the family claiming the deduction. “I don’t like this bill,” Republican debater Giancarlo Lookman said. “Though I do agree with the fact that more students should be voting in the places where they’re going to move to later or where they have a big interest in, I don’t agree with the foundations of this bill. This bill doesn’t take a step in the right direction.” The next morning, Watauga County Democratic Party leadership gathered in Plemmons Student Union to announce a campaign against potential laws in the General Assembly that could make it harder for students to vote near
Aneisy Cardo | The Appalachian
Aneisy Cardo | The Appalachian
Bowen Jones | The Appalachian
(Top Left) Boone Town Mayor Loretta Clawson and (Top Right) Boone Town Councilman and Appalachian alumnus Andy Ball address the kick-off press conference for the College Democrat-sponsored ‘I Vote’ campaign Wednesday in Plemmons Student Union. (Bottom Right) Members of the College Republicans react to a statement made by a College Democrat at the debate on Tuesday evening.
campus. Mollie Clawson, president of the College Democrats, presented a firm stance against the bills, saying that “voters choose politicians, politicians don’t choose voters.” “It really scares me to death that students’ rights would be taken away, because I have
fought for years in this town to make sure that students had the right to vote,” Mayor Loretta Clawson said. “I cannot believe what is happening in Raleigh right now.” Boone Town Councilmember Andy Ball said the bills infringe upon the voters’ rights by making it harder to vote. “It’s putting more ber-
Appalachian to offer single semester-hour quantitative literacy courses to transfers
ries in place,” Ball said. Attendance at the conference was sparse, with mostly College Democrats present; however, members of local press were on hand to cover the event. “I do think that [the press conference] will make a difference, but we have to stand up,” Loretta Clawson said.
“[Students] have to stand up; we have to stand up as elected leaders.” Ball said there will be a photo shoot for people to come in and take pictures holding signs in support of the “I Vote” campaign. “This is just incredible to me, to see this happening in this wonderful state,” Loretta Clawson said.
Water plant supervisor keeps Appalachian water safe, clean
by NINA MASTANDREA Intern News Reporter
The Department of Mathematical Sciences will offer a one-semester-hour course for transfer students that enter Appalachian with three semesterhours of quantitative literacy starting spring 2014. “This way, students can take just the right amount of classes without having to spend extra time in a class that they really don’t need,” said Kristin Hyle, assistant director at the Office of General Education. “It also helps because the time that a student may devote to a foursemester-hour class, they can use to take a class in their major.” The available courses will include versions of MAT 1010 and STT 1810. “The classes are open to transfer students, and transfer students only,” said Rick Klima, assistant chairperson of the Department of Mathematical Sciences. “Both courses will house about 100 seats, and are for those that are looking to complete that last hour of quantative literacy without having to take another whole course.” The Office of General Education decided to begin the project because of the large volume of student requests, Hyle said. “Over 100 students a year come to Appalachian with only one semester hour to go,” Klima said. “We need to start tending to those that come from other colleges.” Though the development of
Paul Heckert | The Appalachian
Justin Perry | The Appalachian
A new one-semester-hour course will be offered by the Department of Mathematical Sciences for students who enter Appalachian with three semester hours of math credits in spring 2014.
such classes is still underway, it will not be until spring 2015 that the courses will have an official number and title. In order to be considered official, new classes undergo a multi-step process. Prospective math courses must pass through the College of Arts and Science, the General Education Council and the Academic Policies and Programs Council. The Office of General Education plans to begin sending emails to inform students if they have one semester-hour left of quantitative literacy starting next year.
Appalachian State University’s Water Plant Supervisor Don Lusk has held his position of keeping the campus safe from toxic chemicals in the university water supply for 12 years. Lusk holds three levels of licensures to stay qualified for the job.
by MICHELLE PIERCE Intern News Reporter
Editor’s Note: The following is the second part of a four-part series on the behind-the-scenes employees at Appalachian State University. Appalachian State University’s Water Plant Supervisor, Don Lusk, keeps students safe every day when he walks into work. Lusk has worked at the university for 18 years and started in housing maintenance. Eventually, he came across a job posting as an operator at Appalachian’s water plant, and through his qualifications received the position as supervisor 12 years ago. The job is heavily chemistrybased and requires three different levels of licensures, which took Lusk three years to achieve
in order to be qualified for his job. Even though many students may dislike the chlorine taste from the fountains, Lusk defends this chemical by explaining the benefits of having it in our water systems. “Chlorine keeps bacteria from growing, so it is the lesser of two evils,” Lusk said. “And it’s kind of a juggling act for us to not let the chlorine levels get too high or too low.” This plant operates 365 days out of the year and is continuously motoring Appalachian’s water systems. There is a lot that can go wrong that Lusk said never leaves his mind, even when
see Lusk page 2
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Editorial Cartoon: ‘To Run Again’
Purchase a print of today’s editorial cartoon “To Run Again” at deviantart.com/ print/32659487. All of the artist profits will be donated to The One Fund Boston to benefit those affected by the tragic events during the Boston Marathon.
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