Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
18 <br /> Exemptions - The following corporations are exempt from the taxes levied by this <br /> Article. Upon request of the Secretary, an exempt corporation must establish its daim for <br /> exemption in writing: <br /> (1) A charitable, religious, fraternal, benevolent, sdentific, or educational <br /> corporation not operated for profit. <br /> 43. Why not include the entire unincorporated area for recyding service? <br /> Thiswas previously considered by the Board and could certainly be an option. Thiswould <br /> require a significant expansion of the rural program into the less densely populated portions of <br /> the county. The proposed district area was created in part by what area can be serviced with <br /> existing resources(collection vehicles and drivers). There was also an interest in not increasing <br /> expenses in a period of financial uncertainty(loss of Kral 3-RFee and landfill closure). Certainly <br /> services could be expanded to include the entire unincorporated area, phased in over a two to <br /> three year period. It is unlikely that an opt-out (subscription)service could adequately fund <br /> such an expansion. <br /> 44. All discussion of thistax has been focused on providing bi-weekly curbside recycling <br /> services. Given the taxis being referred to as"SDI id Waste Tax District" rather than"Fbcyd ing <br /> Tax District," what assurances do citizens have that, once in place,the tax district will not be <br /> used for other solid waste purposes? <br /> It is correct that all focus is currently on the bi-weekly curbside recycling service and staff has <br /> not recently been directed to evaluate other service option for the proposed district. Given the <br /> critical decision timeline necessary with regard to the rural curbside service, it is not likely that <br /> other services will be considered at this time. However,this Board or any future Board,at its <br /> discretion, may consider any number of programmatic variations of a service district in the <br /> future. Staff is not aware of any longer term plans for other purposes. <br /> 45. Who determines the tax rate and when it may be raised? If it is the commissioners, is there a <br /> requirement for public hearing prior to such action? <br /> Only the Board of Commissioners has the authority to set a tax rate. The tax rate is set annually <br /> as part of the budget process. Public hearings are held each year during the budget process to <br /> provide opportunity for public input, including input with regard to the tax rate. <br /> 46. Why can't the county request an RFPfrom Waste Industries for outsourcing collection in the <br /> rural area prior to the April 1 meeting? Couldn't we loosely tie the RFPto town proposals in <br /> order to benefit from scales of economy? <br /> Any RFPprocess is required to be a competitive process open to all qualified recycling collection <br /> contractors and only negotiatingwith a single company would be contrary to state purchasing <br /> law, absent an emergency situation. Such a process could not have been conducted in such a <br /> short time frame as to have been ready by April 1. Furthermore,the RFP process conducted by <br /> the Towns last summer resulted in several proposals being received, has led the Towns to <br /> pursue an agreement with the county for providing the urban curbside services. So apparently <br /> the Towns have determined that the county service, integrated as it can be with other county <br /> 11 <br />