The City of Statesville may lack many things, but it will soon boast one of the fanciest ABC stores in the state. Passers by cannot help but see that major construction is in progress at the store and the adjacent city office building.

In a previous issue we reported that the Statesville City Council voted 7/2 to proceed with an estimated $900,000 renovation and remodeling project on the city office building. (Council members Jap Johnson and Paula Steele cast the dissenting votes).

The project includes some expansion and needed renovation. But well over half the total cost is being spent to re-brick the yellow-brick building with red brick and to install new, more attractive windows.

We have learned that the cost of the project has escalated to at least $1,200,000, a third more than the original estimate. The funds are being paid from city tax dollars.

No tax money is being spent on the ABC store remodeling. It is being paid for from the store’s gross profits. But there is an indirect cost to the taxpayer. The net profits of the ABC store by law go to the city, schools, and other agencies. The amount spent on remodeling will reduce the store’s profit by a like amount, resulting in less money being paid to the city.