Most people seem to agree economic development is the silver bullet that would cure Edgecombe County’s ills: unemployment, low tax base and high tax rate.

But Rusty Holderness sees it differently.

“The best economic development is to be the place where people come and live,” the Tarboro real estate developer said. “All economic development is useless, if they don’t live here.”

Holderness would like to see some of the $2 million in grant money Golden LEAF is offering Edgecombe be spent on an incentive to lure people to buy homes and live in the county.

He proposes offering $10,000 grants to those who would buy a new unoccupied house or use it toward building a new house. The money would not have to be paid back.

Mobile home and modular homes would not qualify because they are built outside the county. Holderness wants to see money spent in the county.

One million dollars would provide 100 grants of $10,000 each – and 100 new homes.

“One hundred new homes at a minimum of $100,000 per home would add $10,000,000 to the tax base or a total of $94,000 additional tax revenue per year,” he pointed out.

Holderness would give teachers first priority.

“The school says they have a problem with teacher retention,” he said. “This would have to help. What an incentive to live here!”

As many as 50 percent of the county’s schoolteachers may live outside of Edgecombe.

Second priority would go to Edgecombe Community College instructors who may work here but live outside the county.

“Maybe have a two- to three-year residency requirement,” he said.

Third priority would go toward people already working in the county but living elsewhere.

Holderness figures this kind of industry would mean work for contractors, tradesmen, laborers plus supply stores, bankers, lawyers, insurance agents, merchants who sell furniture, appliances … .