Blogs
“The story of Rogers Road is not a new one. It is one that has been played and replayed throughout the state of North Carolina and across the country, involving different people and places. It is a story of local politics and community organizing, land-use decisions and their consequences, of the impact each of our actions has had on others whom we have never met and may never seek to find.”
-Emily Eidenier Pearce
As most know by now the folks living in the Rogers Road Community have been advocating for both the landfill to close for forty years and they have asked for specific issue to be resolved including providing water and sewer to remediate some of the impacts that the landfill has had on their community. You might also know that the landfill will close at the end of this month. And while the landfill closure has been a long time coming, the folks of Rogers Road's request for water and sewer has remained unmet. We have had work groups, task forces, and meetings with residents and the Rogers Road Neighborhood Association, and still the challenge of how to provide water and sewer remains.
On February 21st, 2012 the Board of County Commissioners agreed to create another task force, the Rogers Road Task Force, to look at funding sources for a Community Center and sewer improvements. The first meeting of the task force was held on April 30, 2012. The task force will end in July and are tasked with providing a final report at the Assembly of Governments meeting in September. And now, on June 12th, 2013 we will continue to discuss how to provide water and sewer to this community. Time is running out.
Continuing our series about upcoming municipal elections, here's a look at what's happening in the northern part of the county in the race for Hillsborough Town Board. As a reminder, election filing opens in just a few weeks on July 5th. (You can read my post about Chapel Hill Town Council here and Molly's post about Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board here.)
There are two incumbents up for re-election this year:
Mike Gering was first elected to the Hillsborough Town Board in 2001, and has announced that he will not be seeking re-election this year. "The town is in good shape, and I believe change is healthy - both for me and for the town," Gering said in a news release, as reported by the News & Observer.
Frances Dancy also faces re-election this year. Dancy will complete her fourth term on the Town Board this year, and has not yet announced whether she will seek a fifth term yet.
Today the North Carolina Court of Appeals reversed a trial court ruling from last year that placed an injunction on Chapel Hill's ability to enforce its Towing from Private Lots Ordinance. The law requires signage, provides for limits on fees, and requires multiple forms of payment be accepted by the towing company. This is a big victory, not only for Chapel Hill, but for every community in North Carolina that regulates this kind of activity (Durham, Raleigh, Asheville, Charlotte, to name a few). It is especially welcomed following last year's NC Supreme Court decision in Lanvale v. Cabarrus County that had county and municipal officials concerned about how far local governments could go in implementing local ordinances to protect its citizens. (Not to mention the War on Cities the Gen Assembly has been fighting for the last several years). Here's a link to the decision. Very interesting read.
![[After getting out of jail. Photo by Jeff Herrick.]](https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/296118_10151396065301459_540901996_n.jpg)
I'm pretty sure that no other municipality in North Carolina could have done business from prison in Raleigh tonight. But Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton (who helped instigate Mega Moral Monday) as well as Alderpeople Michelle Johnson, Damon Seils, and Sammy Slade all committed civil disobedience with about 140 other people - including Chapel Hill Town Council Member Donna Bell and OP Editor Molly De Marco - by refusing to leave the rotunda in the N.C. General Assembly.
Among the 1,000 protesters outside the NCGA were a quorum of Orange County Commissioners (Bernadette Pelissier, Penny Rich, Renee Price, and Mark Dorosin), a Carrboro Alderperson (Randee Haven-O'Donnell), OP regular Mark Marcoplos, and two more OP editors (Travis Crayton and myself).
Since I mentioned-it yesterday during the Orangepoltics' Open Editors meeting, I thought to share the matter here online at Orangepolitics.org.
I was struck by the bubbling passion from parents and property owners who spoke during last Thursday's (May 30, 2013) County Commisioners' meeting. In short, those who spoke before the Commisioners pleaded for a tax increase, in part, to fund an 8.8 million dollar deficit for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Systems.
As discussion continues over this matter through the budget season and to gain a better perspective on how this tax increase should come about, I think it would be helpful forVictoria Templeton, Hunter Pendleton, and James Easthom to take hold of this dialogue and elaborate on the means to make-up the 8.8 million school budget deficit.
Similarly, if this has been addressed in a prior post, kindly forward me the details.
In my review of past OP content on taxation, it's been a while [3-4 years] since post were made about special use tax or property tax.
Pages
About Us
OrangePolitics is a not-for-profit website for discussing progressive perspectives on politics, planning, and public policy in Orange County, NC. Opinions are those of their authors. Learn more.
Community Guidelines
By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
