Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ Much like our predictions for 2015, I see little headway being made in our statistical projections for Salisbury. I suspect some additional “lost ground” may be in order with Salisbury’s “big 3” statistics: Poor FBI violent crime and murder stats, abysmal public school letter grades from the State Department of Education (in 2015 the public schools in Salisbury got nothing higher than Ds and Fs). These public education statistics are likely to remain static because working class folks of all races are moving out of Salisbury with their children and Salisbury’s deadening U.S. Census Bureau poverty statistics will likely hover around 25% or so. A recession or a downturn in the areas economy could add to the city’s poverty woes.
The “big 3” statistics make it extremely difficult to do economic development and to keep the working class and upper income people here or attract new persons the city. Those three statistics are devastating and they impact Rowan County’s statistics, dragging it down as well. Salisbury, N.C. Statistics:
http://rowanfreepress.com/salisbury-nc-statistics/
In the late fall of 2016 the latest FBI crime statistics for 2015 will appear. Murders, rapes, assaults, shootings, and armed robbery stats will likely surpass 2014. Break-ins and car thefts will no doubt show a spike. The city will have to respond by paying police a competitive wage, recruiting more experienced police and investigators, and fielding more patrolman. This is a must do. In the city’s current financial condition it will be forced to substantially raise taxes and fees to meet its public safety obligation or else face more residents packing up and leaving for safer communities elsewhere.
Predictions for the City of Salisbury 2016:
• The city of Salisbury government will run a series of community meetings throughout Salisbury where they will allegedly “listen” to their residents. The city government has their own agenda and any “listening” they do has almost always be feigned. Their “listening” is to pacify folks’ anger and frustration. Their “listening” seldom passes the action test. They will give you the old Salisbury runaround and do nothing actively to respond to your concerns and requests unless it fits their agenda. They will say: “We’re taking your requests seriously” or “You made a good point here–we will give it full consideration and get back to you.” “Excellent ideas–we’re studying this very carefully.” But taking action on it? Nah. They may even get you to form small groups at different tables and use divide and conquer techniques with city staffers jotting down ideas on paper. Or they may pack the meeting with their friends. But actual listening is not in the plan.
• Better homes in Salisbury will continue to tumble in price as more people move away for safer and less impoverished cities and adequate public education. The working class is melting away. Good paying jobs in scarce in the Bury. If a recession or downturn occurs the stampede will empty Salisbury.
