🏚️ Kinston’s Fiscal Shadows: A Mirror to Rocky Mount’s Crisis

While Rocky Mount’s financial collapse has made headlines, Kinston isn’t far behind. The city’s budget is under strain, and Mayor Don Hardy’s travel spending has sparked outrage. In just one year, the “Meetings and Travel” budget ballooned by over $30,000—reaching nearly $67,000. Hardy’s use of premium Uber rides for short trips and dining at upscale bars like The Carnegie Club in New York and the Sheraton Puerto Rico Pool Bar has raised serious questions about how taxpayer money is being used.

🚨 Misplaced Priorities

• Lavish travel while residents face rising property taxes.

• No itemized receipts required, leaving spending largely unchecked.

• 20+ cities visited in one fiscal year, from Tacoma to Puerto Rico—on the city’s dime.

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⚡ Long-Term Debt Still Haunts Us

Kinston also just finished paying off its share of a 43-year electric debt tied to the NC Eastern Municipal Power Agency. While this milestone offers hope, it also reminds us how long poor decisions can burden a community.

🧭 Where’s the Accountability?

If Rocky Mount is being investigated for possible criminal mismanagement, why isn’t Kinston under similar scrutiny? When public trust is eroded by unchecked spending and opaque leadership, residents deserve answers—not excuses.

🧾 It’s Time to Mandate Itemized Receipts—No More Blank Checks

Kinston’s budget crisis isn’t just about overspending—it’s about lack of oversight. Right now, city officials can spend thousands on travel, dining, and transportation without providing

itemized receipts. That’s unacceptable.

The City Council has the authority to change this. They can vote today to require itemized receipts for all reimbursed expenses. No more vague “travel” line items. No more Uber rides and bar tabs with no documentation.

This isn’t just a policy tweak—it’s a safeguard against abuse. If Rocky Mount is under investigation for financial mismanagement, Kinston must act now to prevent a similar fate.

Transparency isn’t optional. It’s overdue.