11th District GOP Congressional nominee Carl Mumpower is not known for treading softly on the issues.  His opinion on the Swain County "Road to Nowhere" settlement is no exception.  "The people of Swain County and Western North Carolina are being scammed by our politicians," said Mumpower.  "This is a penny on the dollar deal that has the Federal government going back on its word and public officials selling out to special interests."

Congressman Heath Shuler has worked with Tennessee Republican Senator Lamar Alexander and other state and local officials to craft a settlement promise of 52 million dollars in exchange for the promised North Shore Road.  North Carolina legislators have approved a bill awaiting the Governor's signature that establishes a trust fund to manage the six million dollar down payment on pledges of future payment.

"Representative Shuler, Senator Snow, Representative Haire, Swain County Commissioners and others are selling out their constituents," said Mumpower.  "Fifty-two million seems like a lot of money, but for comparison it represents less than half of the annual operating budget of just one city, Asheville, in WNC."  "That is a cheap exchange for a lifetime of lost opportunity."

Proponents of the North Shore Road point to the importance of keeping one's word, providing long delayed access for the descendents of those transplanted, and the economic engine that the road could represent.  "Right now Tennessee is eating our lunch on tourism - those with a history in our area have watched the tourism resource explosion in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Cade's Cove, while most of WNC has stagnated or regressed," notes Mumpower.  "We are not jealous of their success, but we should not be passive with efforts, such as this settlement, which rob the more rural counties of their potentials."   

"Outsiders are quick to applaud the deal's preservation of pristine wilderness in a county where 85% of the land is owned by government," said Mumpower.  "Environmental advocates, the TVA, and Park Service all have their own interests in this broken promise."  "Those agendas and our own leaders are bullying residents trying to make a living and bridge their children to a future of hope and opportunity."  "Fifty-two million is chicken feed in this equation of political shame."

Carl Mumpower
11th District Republican Congressional Candidate

#112 

Principles before party, power, or politics - always.

Swain County Contact Point-
Mike Clampitt
Republican County Republican Party Chairman
P.O. Box 2000
Bryson City, North Carolina
828 736-6222 

---

Share: