State's economic disparity obvious along U.S. 74

Published June 9, 2017

Editorial by Wilmington Star-News, June 6, 2017.

Many rural areas of North Carolina are hurting economically. That was obvious to us over the weekend as we traveled U.S. 74 across a good chunk of the state. We got a front-row view of the urban-rural divide, a disparity that leaders need to address so the entire state can thrive, not just a handful of urban and coastal areas.

In the east, Highway 74 begins in one of the state’s most affluent areas -- Wrightsville Beach. Heading west, you pass through Columbus County, where tobacco was once king, buoyed by the now-gone federal quota system. Less than 90 miles from New Hanover County -- the state’s sixth-wealthiest -- the highway enters Robeson County, outranked only by Hyde as the state’s poorest.

These forgotten places need help. What won’t help, however, is the latest effort by Sen. Harry Brown, a Jacksonville Republican, to shift sales-tax revenue from prosperous counties to poorer areas. It would hurt areas that are driving the economy, and there’s little reason to think it would be enough to help struggling areas.

We respect Brown’s intentions, but agree with Sen. Michael Lee that “There are other ways we can target what Sen. Brown is concerned about.”

How about focusing on U.S. 74?s economically disparate areas, which already have connections with Charlotte and Wilmington? Improvements are being made to the highway, but too much of the route between Wilmington and Charlotte makes for slow travel. U.S. 74 runs right by Charlotte Douglas International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Is the U.S. 74 corridor benefiting from that connection?

There are a few encouraging signs -- the Facebook data center on the site of an old textile plant near Forest City -- 75 miles west of Charlotte. The facility employs electrical and computer engineers, a far cry from textile-machine operators. A bit farther west, the new Tryon International Equestrian Center is making a big economic impact.

There’s much, much more to be done. But we think continuing to improve the 450-mile U.S. 74 corridor -- focusing on creative economic development, geographical assets and natural connections -- would go a long way in helping those areas that are seeing little benefit from North Carolina’s otherwise vibrant economy.

That, of course, will require more investment and vision than shifting tax dollars away from prosperous counties.

http://www.starnewsonline.com/opinion/20170606/editorial-june-6-states-economic-disparity-obvious-along-us-74