Smothers To Run At-large

by Paul C. Clark
Staff Writer

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July 18, 2012

Longtime High Point Mayor Becky Smothers, who announced earlier this year that she would not run again for mayor, on Wednesday, July 18, announced that she would file the same day to run for one of the two at-large seats on the High Point City Council.

When she announced that she would not run for mayor, she said she would make a decision on an at-large candidacy later. "It's later," she wrote in a press release today.

Smothers cited several reasons for running for an at-large seat, including using her experience to support the new mayor, wanting to come up with new means of raising revenue for High Point's general fund, wanting to build a new senior center and wanting to stay involved in regional and state transportation issues.

For the full text of Smothers' announcement, click here.

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Tags: High Point

Becky just can't quit.
July 19, 2012 | 09:36 AM

Becky needs a hobby ... Maybe stamp collecting or picking the lint out of her belly-button. Please ... Just Go Away.

Illuminator
Large Smothers
July 19, 2012 | 01:41 PM

Unbelievable comments in her announcements. If you live in High Point, pure fiction and how highly she thinks of herself is very apparent. I feel for the next Mayor having her there to tell them how she would do it since the council and mayor lack the experience. Get these old people out of the way so High Point can finally come into the next century. Have they driven around their town other than there neighborhood and country club? WOW. Can't believe I grew up here and how down on HP I've become.

Kris
People on Fixed Income and Poor People
July 19, 2012 | 03:12 PM

June 18, 2012 High Point City Council Session

Transcription is from the Audio Recording from this session.

Mayor's Comments on the City Manager's Budget for 2012-2013

Normally, I do prepare remarks. I didn't this time. I felt that there would be so much wisdom coming out of all these mouths up here that I probably couldn't top it. But, I would like to touch on just a couple of things.

We knew that property values were going to go down that was well known throughout the community. We did not realize that they would go down as they did. Now, what we got before us when the Manager handed us that budget and many of you probably already know this was what was called a Revenue Neutral Budget that even did not include any growth that might have occurred. The substitute motion that has been made actually reduces by over one cent on that initial recommendation from the City Manager.

Now, I will tell you this next year we are already looking at a over a cent short fall coming from the State of North Carolina in terms of Hold Harmless Revenues that get past on to the city. So, you know you are gonna have you a $1Million hole you're gonna be looking at. Plus, the fact they have been things deferred in this budget, but I am really proud that this council has been very selective about what those deferrals will be, because if there is one thing that I can say this with complete admiration is that Mr. Henley mentioned STEWARDSHIP, because that is what this service is about. And, it is not about allowing a community to fall apart, because somebody did not have the political will to do what's right. And, that's investing in what has been put in place before us.

*** There have always been PEOPLE ON FIXED INCOMES.

*** There have always been POOR PEOPLE.

*** But, you know what a lot of those folks SUCKED IT UP and MADE SOME SACRIFICES to make this community what it is today. And, I am really proud of it. I am proud of them. And, yeah, somebody may have to give up one trip to the movie, which is about what your impact would be with your utility increase or you could turn off the lights a little bit.

The fact is that there has been absolutely no one who has said reduce service levels. Because, you see nobody wants them reduced. Now, they might want something that someone else wants reduced, but not what they want. But, I think we have tried to preserve the essential level of service to keep this community where it is, so that we can ATTRACT THE INVESTMENT, that we have seen in just two companies in the past few months that are adding a1,000 jobs to this community and are investing over $200 million. You can't do that if you get to lean believe me.

Now, Ms. Sims, I admire you greatly, but I would challenge the next council not to be meaner and leaner (chuckle), perhaps just know what they want to put before the public in the amount of REDUCED SERVICES cause believe me (she drops her pen on the table) the public ant ready to have anything reduced.

Are you ready for a vote?

NOTE: I do have the AUDIO RECORDING of the June meeting.

CYDavis
Queen Becky
July 19, 2012 | 07:51 PM

These are the remarks of a person too long with too much power. he must go, and her sdmired cohorts as well.

Observer
BS
July 19, 2012 | 08:07 PM

B Smothers sees a loss as mayor looming. She can salvage power by putting Sims up as mayor in a crowded field and pulling her votes in for the both of them. The Sims bloc will vote as expected while the others will be split to the benefit of Sims/Smothers/Mendenhall.
Crazy like a fox, and just as trustworthy in the taxpayers henhouse.

Observer

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Smothers To Run At-large