Drop The Drama, Mr. Cox

From a story in the Independent Tribune concerning the proposed Interbasin Water Transfer...

...

On the bus before the meeting, John Cox, CEO of the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce and president of the EDC, said it would be "ridiculous" if the transfer did not pass.

"Then we might as well close the Lowe's Motor Speedway and Concord Mills and shut off I-85 and kill the strongest economic engine of North Carolina," Cox said. "It would be as ridiculous if we were to oppose Hickory's use of our air (space) for commercial aviation. If they shut down their airport, we'll go look for water somewhere else."

Please Mr. Cox, your quote is ridiculous! You are playing the part of a quasi-government official to a tee! Hyperbole and fear, oh my!

If Mr. Cox wants to point fingers at the source of our region's water woes, he needs to point it at his beloved government. We are in this position because we rely on government to supply infrastructure for our roads, schools, water, etc. Mr. Cox doesn't trust the free market to provide these things. In other words, he doesn't trust his neighbors to do the right thing. Matter of fact, Mr. Cox doesn't trust the private sector at all. If he did, his EDC would be entirely funded by private enterprise. He would not advocate favoring certain companies over others with economic tax incentives or tax increment finance schemes. If the EDC is such a vital economic development tool, why do they need public money extorted from the tax payers.

You see, Mr. Cox doesn't care for private enterprise because he would have to find another job.