I’m moving some comments from Flat World question. Bob Carruth was the only one to answer that question so far.
It’s a hard question, really. In the NC Governors race, only one candidate has an economic development plan that reaches beyond their first term. Any guess who that is? Here’s a hint.
So, candidates - I’m going to ask an easier question that will have a big impact. As a candidate, what will you do for Cabarrus County’s growing population of senior citizens?
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20 responses so far ↓
1 Steven H Smith // Apr 4, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Bob
Don’t be ashamed of the 100.00 a week you spend at Wal-mart. Be Thankful that you have 100.00 a week to spend. I hope that you’re not spending it on Prescription Drugs, lol, but I do know some people that were spending that much on Drugs before Wal-Mart came up with their Drug Discount Program. By the way, Thank the County Manager for me for sticking his neck out and approving the Discount Drug Card for the Uninsured Citizens of Cabarrus County. I know it upset Grace and Brian Freeman a little but but it is for the overall good of all the Citizens of the County.
2 Larry M. Burrage // Apr 6, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Your Comments and responses intrigue me as an individual and also as a candidate for cabarrus County Commissioner.
The fact remains regarding all prescription drugs,The Mega drug corporations and laws in place and Lobbyists allow for the most outrageous prices for maintenance drugs as well as more Seriou prescriptions, Example,Cancer,diabetes.alzheimers,heart disease,etc.It Is astronomical the amount of money people have to spend to stay alive until they die BROKE.
This has nothing to do with our needs in Cabarrus county regarding the populations’Best Interest and a forward approach for the future advancement of education Jobs ,roads ,annexations,WATER or lack Thereof.
Any amount of help for citizens is greatly appreciated and needed.
We really need to continue with plans and promote our area in the best truthful manner available.
My appreciation to all that have blazed the path we are currently on ,it is time to not try to go out in a blaze of glory. Just A steady consistent clear direction toward progress in all areas as needed.
Larry M. Burrage
3 Steven H Smith // Apr 6, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Larry
How would you have voted concerning the Drug Discount Card, had you been on the County Commission???? Next to my drug costs, County Property Taxes are of a concern to me. As a Senior Citizen on a fixed income, I would like to see an increase in the homestead exemption Income level to $50,000.00 and the Property assested Valuation frozen at 2004 levels for those who qualify. How do the candidates for County Commission feel about this matter????
4 Larry M. Burrage // Apr 6, 2008 at 7:27 pm
I would have been totally in agreement on all issues stated above.I also am A Senior on fixed income . The Seniors Must Be respected for their contributions regardless of status and ability to actively contribute anymore.I also Firmly Believe There Should Be a Limit Of Age Where seniors are Not Taxed on their residence if at all possible.We have Paid For Them Numerous Times Until Death Do Us Part?
Thanks for your Questions and Concerns,we certainly live in uncertain and treacherous times .
I can not Promise Anything more than Honesty Integrity and A desire to Improve the Quality Of Life To All Not Try to Tax The Life Out Of all who are Still Breathing.
Your Voice Your Choice Larry
5 Justin Thibault // Apr 6, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Larry -
Really? Following the same logic: do I get to skip out on my Social Security because it’ll be bust by the time I’m your age?
6 Brian Freeman // Apr 7, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I have been unsuccessful in framing the issues around the Prescription Drug discount card. THIS CARD IS NOT ABOUT THE PRICE OF PRESCRIPTIONS SENIORS PAY!! If it helped seniors, or any resident, I would support it. Actually, I would support multiple choices of a discount card so that one company would not manipulate the price of prescriptions without competition.
It takes a lot of research to understand the program and its not as simple as saying”we helped lower the cost of drugs in the county” because they have not. Any senior that can’t afford their medications needs real help with ideas to ask their doctor about cost savings, manufacturer discounts (anybody taking nexium or crestor we can give you $30 off every refill for 6 months even if you have insurance).
I like this site, and the comments posted. I like hearing from the candidates. I am not completely jaded because we are forced to accept a discount card that maybe illegal, implemented without board approval, and wouldn’t be on any conservatives agenda. Not because we don’t care about drug prices, but because a discount isn’t a discount unless the price was too high to begin with. The 70 million rx’s filled using these cards resulted in 100 million dollars of transaction fees. Does that lower the cost of healthcare?
Candidates/imcumbant: the #1 problem seniors face with healthcare is not understanding medicare/medicaid or their options. they have great options if they understood them. I know you cannot change medicare but we could hold our local offices accountable to be helpful. The people at the local offices don’t know what Medicare Part D is let alone understand how to help them apply for assistance. they don’t understand the new Medicare Advantage Plans and our local offices rate low in customer service(I am trying to be politically correct).
They worry about property taxes on fixed incomes. Kannapolis bond region (which I don’t understand) seems to penalize them for living within the region that will benefit from the research center. Yes, their property will go up in value, which will benefit their kids when they die. they want to stay their until then, but will feel the impact of increased taxes on their fixed incomes.
Now, they worry Northeast Hospital will not be as realiable since it has merged with Carolina Medical Systems. They worry that their doctors aren’t happy with their jobs or contracts and their is a lack of competition. They are starting to realize competition, even in healthcare, increases services and price.
Seniors worry about the lack of quality long-term care facilities in the county. Absolutely not a knock on the existing homes, but their wouldn’t be enough in 10 years. Things like water usage, schools always come up but what will the county do to house our seniors with specialty care? Will land be set aside or zoned for such use, so a company is interested in coming in?
Brian Freeman
7 Steve Smith // Apr 8, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Brian;
Your’e right about several thing in this post.
1. You have failed to frame your issues so that the regular guy can understand them. I am recieving drugs cheaper with this card than I did with it.
2. I do understand that you have a preceived beef with the County Commission because you claim that they wouldn’t listen to you but , in fact, did you not get to speak before them a one of their work sessions?? Apparently, you didn’t frame your issues before them too well either.
3. I’m glad that your not completely jaded because you failed to frame your issue so that we could understand it. I am conservative and the Drug Card was on my agenda and all other uninsured that I have talked with.
4. You stated that the Number #1 problem is that the Seniors don’t understand the Madicare/Medicaid options. Well, my friend, we’re not the only ones who don’t understand Mdeicare Part D, no one I have talked to understands Part D. The AARP first indorsed it, then when they found out what mess it was, they thumbs down on it. The Drug Companies used to give the uninsured who fell within 200% of the proverty level their drugs for nothing, now if your’e qualified for Medicare Part D, they wont give you anything. Once you reach the “donut hole” your’e right back where you started except the Drug Companies won’t help you now. As for the $30.00 off of certin drugs, some of those drugs that youre talking about are $3.00 per table. Case in point “Lyrica 50mg Cap 178.35 per month less the $30.00 per month is $148.35 less the postage to mail it in to the Company. Singulair 10MG tab $93.60 per month less $15.00 coupon per month is $78.60 per month less the postage to mail it in. Effexor XR 75MG Cap $335.82 per month but no coupon on this one. The list just goes on and on. These prices are before I use the discount card.
5. Finally, I can remember when Cabarrus Memoral (Northeast Medical Center) was considered to be worse than the dog pound. Patients begged to EMS to take them to Charlotte rather than go to Cabarrus Memoral. I’m not worried about CMS taking over NorthEast. I’m worried how long it gonna take them to build the hospital in Harrisburg so I can walk to it.
8 Aaron // Apr 8, 2008 at 8:23 pm
“They are starting to realize competition, even in healthcare, increases services and price.”
How is healthcare different from any other economic trend in that increases in supply cause lower prices…
“Seniors worry about the lack of quality long-term care facilities in the county. Absolutely not a knock on the existing homes, but their wouldn’t be enough in 10 years. Things like water usage, schools always come up but what will the county do to house our seniors with specialty care? Will land be set aside or zoned for such use, so a company is interested in coming in?”
How in any way is this a government issue???
What about pet bed and breakfasts, how will we ever have enough of those? Perhaps the county should provide special zoning and set aside land for them in the future as well…
You’ve gotta be more even keeled here. You can’t say Government should keep their nose out of one facet but should have it in another…
9 Brian Freeman // Apr 10, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Lyrica is a prodrug of an older form called Neurontin. It may have some advantages but for neuropathy pain, I can’t find the increased efficacy. Neurontin is generic and costs under $30/60 capsules. Effexor XR is a once daily version of Effexor which was twice a day and is now generic and cheaper. Again, advice that you must not be getting from your Doctor or pharmacist. Some examples of how we can really make a difference in the cost of your prescriptions. A discount card might save you a dollar, but an advocate might save you thousands of dollars. Steve, the card didn’t save you money the $4 drug program did. If their price wasn’t already $4 the card would have cost you money. If wal-mart sells a drug for $4.00 and they process the cvs/caremark card and get the $1.25 fee taken out, how long before the $4.00 program becomes the $6.00 program? This type of “discount card” will cause the demise of the $4.00 program and that will cost you more. Does that make sense?
Quality nursing home care is a major concern for seniors. If subsidies are given to attract any business to the county, then the candidates should consider nursing homes a priority. I don’t even know such incentives exist or should, I was trying to bring out the concerns of seniors. I was inconsistant. I don’t want any gov’t sponsored nursing homes, go to the VA to see how that worked out.
We cannot change the law, Medicare part D, but we can understand it. We can help our citizens understand it. You can’t accept its not understandable, therefore lets give up. Its now an entitlement and the local medicare/social security offices should demand that their employees understand it. How can they help our seniors if they don’t understand all the details? Seniors below an income of $14,700 single or 19,500 married do get extra help with rx’s and DON’T have a donut hole. Local gov’t could have a big impact making sure at least our seniors are taken care of. It seemed like an issue that a candidate would love to talk about. Our local medicare office is not meeting the needs of the people we send there and that was my point.
10 Brian Freeman // Apr 10, 2008 at 11:42 pm
“Framing the Issue” Government signs a contract with CVS/caremark that everybody participates in for various reasons. This discount card is attached, without permission, to an existing contract for at least a year. Many cards available that do the same thing so why no involvement in evaluating the other cards. Maybe they give the kickbacks back to the patient. government pays nothing but they do use all resources available to them libraries, social security office, medicare office, hospitals, senior centers and tv to distribute the CVS/card. The County gets some PR for the card, CVS gets big distribution and then big transaction fees. We loss customers if we don’t participate, we loss transaction fees if we do participate, and we have to watch them give away cvs coupons or mailorder pharmacy because they have the info. CVS/Caremark is our competitor. This unfair “discount card” makes them millions, gives them a database to drive synergies between their Pharmacy and Caremark. Other Pharmacies pay cvs/caremark all because the county got involved. Big business gets more money which makes them more strong and thus more competitive. Other pharmacies pay, have less money and customers, and are now less competitive. That is the issue framed as well as I can frame it. The playing field isn’t even close to equal. It offers no real solution. It wasn’t even voted on the the commissioners. 2 commissioners question how it is possible that John Day had such athority. take it to a vote and let the democratic process have a shot at it. Mr. Day should not sign such large contracts because he doesn’t have any skin in the game. Small Business should be treated equally with big business. 7 local businesses know that is not what has happen in our county board.
11 Justin Thibault // Apr 11, 2008 at 9:07 am
Brian - John Day does have some discretion to the level of contracts he can sign.
As for businesses being treated equally, when did the local businesses present a discount card to the County?
12 Aaron // Apr 11, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Perhaps folks who are so concerned about the plight of our seniors should read this gem (You’ll have to copy and paste as my HTML skills suck.)
http://www.independenttribune.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CIT/MGArticle/CIT_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173355253821
For those of you in the dark: These 44 units are being built in the most crime infested neighborhood in Cabarrus County.
While the image of Seniors growing old together is supposed to take place in the country settings of Mount Pleasant and it’s clean air and peace and quiet, the golden years of the folks living here will be spent watching drug transactions and prostitutes work the street corners!
WOW, if this is the best we’ve got from Government for our Seniors then I’m really pessimistic about their concerns for my well being…
13 Aaron // Apr 11, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Wow, an Auto Link. The Cheap Seats is now Idiot Proof!
14 Justin Thibault // Apr 11, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Aaron -
Don’t borrow from your 401k
Not quite. Starnes could come back and make a comment
15 Bob Carruth // Apr 13, 2008 at 9:35 am
Now that the dust is somewhat settled.
I posted a link to an important tool that was added to our budget three years ago, when we were searching for a way to show the impact each program has on our budget. It shows all expenditures in three categories - mandated spending (blue), mandated with discretionary spending allowed (green), and discretionary programs (yellow). You can view it by spending area, and rolled up by the three categories.
I. What can we do about the tax rate?
1. Blue and green expenditures take up about 85% of the budget. That means that any short-term, drastic knee jerk tax rate cut will have to come out of the yellow spending.
2. In this yellow category, funding is provided for our Senior Center, Senior Adult Nutrition services, and Veterans Services. In addition to these programs that directly affect Seniors in our community, we also fund our parks, county extension services, and libraries out of this area of our budget. These would bear the brunt of any deep budget cuts. Don’t settle for those who promise you to cut your taxes, but will not identify how they will do so - this is the other side of the coin. Remember 2004?
II. We need options for Senior Homeowners.
1. The state legislature needs to increase the Homestead Exemption as much as possible. This will reduce the tax burden on our Senior homeowners. In Georgia, where I am from, my parents do not pay school tax - once you turn 70, you are exempt.
2. Selling legacy property because the taxes make ownership unaffordable is a shame in this state. We already have the present use value program for our farmers, but we need to look at how to incentivize the preservation of open land. A vicious cycle is now at play. When a landowner can’t afford to keep their property, it is sold, usually to a developer, who builds more houses, which drives up taxes, which makes more land unaffordable, which causes more to be sold, and starts the cycle over again. We have to find a way for folks if they choose to get off this merry-go-round.
III. We need to prepare for the Boom.
1. In two years, the Baby Boomers ( born in 1961, I am on the tail end of the generation, and will turn out the lights when I am grown up) will begin to turn 65. We already see that this group of retirees will reshape retirement as we have always known it. We need to have ways to engage this population in our civic life. This means creating ways to get seniors back into our schools, involved in the political process, and helping younger adults with career guidance, business consulting, etc.
2. We will also need to look at our Senior Centers and Parks. With this group of retirees being more and more active, they will demand the outdoor recreational amenities that our parents generation didn’t .
16 Larry M. Burrage // Apr 13, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Bob,
What a refeshing practical and enlightening summary of our budget and the needs of our seniors
I wholeheartedly agree with you on all issues.and hopefully future implementation and benefits to our Seniors as well as all citizens.
I also agree that while taxes cannot be cut ,The Spending and excessive lack of planning with all entities could possibly remedy the indebtedness that has already occurred.
The City And County are at total opposites on most issues.The Two Must Work Together and some waste of duplication of employees etc.I would support a consolidation of both city and county government since the city limits are so spread out and continuing to annex and grow their base.
What are your thoughts if any on this?
Larry
17 Steve Smith // Apr 16, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Larry
Didn’t you say that you would cut taxes, when elected?????
18 Larry M. Burrage // Apr 17, 2008 at 12:20 am
Steve,
In Response To your Question,Did I say I would Cut Taxes When Elected? Yes I did And I will vote NO to any increases.There is so much waste and duplication of government entities ,That a Consolidation to one for both the city and county could really produce a continuity in services.
I know I will draw much criticism about this but it is my objective and would relieve the taxpayers from double dipping,since we are all in the city almost now ,what they have not annexed ,they have their sights and maps drawn for future taxes.
Enough said for now ,I am not in this campaign to just be elected ,but I do want the people to know I am willing to go against the worst of the policies now in place that are not working.
Larry M. Burrage
This would eliminate the lack of communication between city and county officials,and their lack of cooperation in the best interest of all citizens.I know A Terrible fight will take place ,but we could come out a winner if successful.
19 Steve Smith // Apr 17, 2008 at 9:59 am
Larry
I will be listening very closely to hear about your proposed tax cuts. A subject that is very close to my heart. I had to pay my property tax bill in payments this year.
Bob
Knowing that you are close friends with Jeff Barnhardt, perhaps you can get him to sponsor a bill
that will, in fact, increase the homestead exemption to $50,000.00 and freeze the property tax valuation at the 2004 level. I noticed that this proposal is in both of the Demcratic Candidates for Governor platform. It might be nice if we were to make this ours as well.
20 Cabarrus Cheap Seats // May 5, 2008 at 9:46 am
Last Minute Cabarrus County Election Information - 2008 Primary Edition…
Here are some links that might be helpful for those going to the polls (not poles) Tuesday.
ELECTION INFORMATION
Polling Locations in Concord, Harrisburg, Kannapolis, Midland, etc.
2008 Cabarrus County Primary Election Sample Ballots
CANDIDATES
T…
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