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Hickory Daily Record Editorial

Published: August 1, 2009

THUMBS UP to Congressman Patrick McHenry who this week co-sponsored a resolution that, if approved, would require members of Congress who vote for the health-care reform plan now being debated in Washington to enroll in the program. Members of Congress currently have an option to enroll in the same health insurance program as federal employees — the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. We think this is a reasonable request and one that could help create a better health-care reform package in the end. "The so-called 'public option' is a dramatic first step toward government-rationed healthcare in the United States," McHenry said. "Any elected representative who thinks that government bureaucrats should be making healthcare decisions for their constituents must accept an identical fate." We agree. What is good for the American people should be good for our lawmakers, too.

THUMBS UP to Catawba County officials for deciding to accept used oil filters for recycling before a state law takes affect that would ban the disposal of oil filters in landfills. The new law is designed to protect the state's ground water from contamination. Beginning Oct. 1, oil filters cannot be disposed of in the regular garbage. With more than 14 million used oil filters being tossed each year in North Carolina, this provision should keep an estimated 240,000 to 970,000 gallons of oil out of our landfills. Oil filters are easily recycled with many of them already being recycled into oil and steel resources for industrial use. This makes good environmental sense. Oil filters will be accepted at the county's convenience centers on Rocky Ford Road off N.C. 10 west of Newton, on Lookout Dam Road in the Oxford Community, at the now closed Newton Landfill on Bethany Church Road and in the Cooksville community on Rhoney Farm Road. Oil filters will not be accepted at the Sherrills Ford Convenience Center.

THUMBS DOWN to the federal government for threatening to rescind a promised $8.7 billion in national Highway Trust Fund money to states. North Carolina stands to lose $249 million, or about a quarter of its federal highway allocation for this year. This decision will hurt our state and cause much-needed highway projects to be delayed or stopped completely by lack of funding. The state already has plans for most of this money. This could force state officials to look for other options to pay for roadwork in progress. The N.C. Department of Transportation has reduced roadwork based on projections that state and federal gas tax and other highway money will fall short this budget year. This is an unfortunate situation for motorists who expect safe and well-maintained roads for the taxes they pay.