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2. Public Comments <br /> a. Matters not on the Printed Agenda <br /> Marc Marcoplos said that today in Afghanistan nine U. S. soldiers died when a <br /> helicopter went down, making 2010 the deadliest year for American involvement in <br /> Afghanistan. He said that it was recently concluded by a think tank allied with U. S. <br /> Government Military Intelligent Forces, that there is no battlefield solution to terrorism. He said <br /> that Orange County has pressing local needs. Meanwhile, about $2,600 per County citizen <br /> leaves Orange County annually for the national military budget. This is about $351 million. <br /> The current annual budget is about $178 million. He said that if just 10% of the military <br /> contribution was retained at home for local needs, it would make a big difference. He read a <br /> resolution: <br /> A Resolution of Orange County, North Carolina to end the expenditure of the <br /> citizens' tax dollars for excessive and unaffordable warfare funding by the U. S. <br /> Congress <br /> WHEREAS: <br /> 1. The financial resources available for use by governments at the local, county, state, <br /> and federal levels in the United States are and must be limited; and <br /> 2. An inordinate level of military expenditure is being made by the U. S. federal <br /> government for warfare in Afghanistan; and <br /> 3. The people of Orange County, N. C. are collectively paying or becoming indebted <br /> for approximately 351 million dollars per year of their limited financial resources for <br /> such warfare which supplies no identified public benefits; and <br /> 4. This warfare creates great and unnecessary harm to the people of the nation of <br /> Afghanistan and to U. S. military personnel and their families; and <br /> 5. Education services, infrastructure repairs, other essential public services, and family <br /> and private-sector financing in Orange County and throughout the State of North <br /> Carolina have been substantially reduced in order for an excessive portion of <br /> available financial resources to be diverted from the constructive economy to <br /> unnecessary warfare; <br /> Now, therefore, be it resolved that Orange County, North Carolina commands North Carolina's <br /> member of the U. S. House of Representatives from the Fourth Congressional District and its <br /> Senate representatives to oppose all legislation brought before the U. S. Congress that <br /> provides further funding of the U. S. warfare and U. S. military occupation Afghanistan. <br /> Orange County, North Carolina also demands that these members of Congress take strong <br /> and forceful action to influence the full Congress to terminate funding of these military <br /> operations. <br /> Commissioner Pelissier said that the County Commissioners need to clarify to the <br /> public that when they submit a resolution that it is referred to staff to come back to the Board. <br /> The Board asked that this matter be referred to staff for a recommendation. <br /> b. Matters on the Printed Agenda <br /> (These matters were considered when the Board addressed that item on the agenda <br /> below.) <br />