The Orange County Board of Commissioners will place a 1/4 cent sales tax on the ballot this November. Revenues generated from the tax, which is expected to raise $2.3M annually, will be allocated for economic development (42.5%), repairing older school buildings (42.5%), public safety (15%). The tax will not be applied to food or pharmaceuticals.

Of the $977,500 expected to be raised for economic development, the county manager has proposed that 30% ($293,500) go to building infrastructure within the economic development zones and 15% ($146,625) go to a small business loan fund such as the one Carrboro initiated many years ago. I haven't seen anything designating the use for the remaining $439,875 (55%) other than a report in the CH Herald about the need to offer incentives.

When we go to polls in November, we will not be voting just for the new sales tax, but also for this allocation plan. Can you support it? Does this plan signal a new day to you?

According to this morning's Herald-Sun, the Orange County "Board of Commissioners is one of the first government bodies in the nation to seek to define social justice and make it a backdrop for its decisions." The Human Relations Advisory Board presented a draft of their document to the BoCC on May 13. The full document is available at: http://www.co.orange.nc.us/OCCLERKS/1005131.pdf

For those who don't have time to read the full document, here's the bare bones.

In working to seek social justice, Orange County shall perform government duties including policy-making and budgeting with the express objectives of:

1. Striving for the elimination of oppression and inequity by creating an environment of equal opportunity in which no groups are targeted for harassment, exclusion, intimidation or violence.

The IFC held the first of three scheduled community discussions tonight. These discussions are designed to facilitate better communications with the community. The meeting began with three short presentations to update everyone on the current status of the planning process and to provide a brief synopsis of the expectations IFC has for the new facility. 

The new facility is being designed to serve 52 men on a full-time basis with room for 17 emergency cots on white-flag nights. As Chris Moran said, the Community House will serve as transitional housing for homeless men. Emergency housing will need to be provided through the efforts of the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness group. 

According to this morning's News and Observer, UNC is considering allowing alcohol in the new private suites and club boxes being added as part of the Kenan Stadium renovation. It's just an idea at this point and could be achieved through sales or BYO. Ironically, less than 2 months ago, the Daily Tar Heel reported that student alcohol poisonings on campus has 'grown rapidly in the past few years.'

Fifty-one cases of student alcohol poisoning were reported last school year, up from 28 in the 2007-08 school year and three the year before, according to data collected by the Office of the Dean of Students.

EMS has already reported 23 cases to the office as of Oct. 1 this semester.

Each election, I am awed and inspired by those who have the courage and the stamina to run for office. Regardless of who we support, we should all be thankful for those who step up and put themselves on the line for the sake of their community.

Good luck to all the candidates, and thank you!

33 farmers and land owners, living in the Carrboro ETJ, have petitioned Orange County and the town of Carrboro to return jurisdiction for ETJ farms to Orange County. 

PETITION TO REMAND DEVELOPMENT JURISDICTION FOR CARRBORO ETJ LAND TO ORANGE COUNTY CONTROL

I watched Monday night's public hearing on the IFC's proposed new shelter on Homestead Road with dismay. Every time the IFC identifies an affordable parcel of land appropriate for a new Homestart shelter, the neighbors object. Although the Town Council does a good job of responding to the concerns of neighborhoods, this time we have a pickle. The shelter has to move. It cannot stay downtown and achieve the type of service the town and the IFC want to provide to our homeless male population. To help promote a more positive dialogue, I'd like to propose that we stop talking about "the shelter" and begin discussing the various services currently offered by the IFC and the new proposed services.

This coming Tuesday, the Orange County Commissioners are scheduled to endorse the Reality Check Report: Guiding Principles for Quality Growth. Apparently this was a conference held back in February for visioning the ideal principles of growth in the 15-county local area. The 3 guiding principles adopted by this group are:

• Transit
• Vibrant Centers
• Sustained Greenspace 

These are all solid principles, but are they really the top three? What about clean air and water? What about human issues like education?

Does anyone know anything about this process or the groups sponsoring it? The only local name that I recognize is Rosemary Waldorf.