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57 <br />40. Will the tax district increase /encourage participation as compared to the previous Rural 3 -11 Fee <br />funded service? Cite research that county -wide taxation will increase participation. <br />Based on our own long -term experience and our inquiries with knowledgeable recycling <br />professionals, participation is more determined by how each citizen interfaces with the <br />program, the choices available to the citizen, community incentives or disincentives of <br />convenience or cost, a community's motivation /enthusiasm /knowledge through the <br />supporting programmatic education and outreach, the local environmental culture, etc. that <br />impacts participation than whether the service is funded by taxes or fees. However, regardless <br />of funding source, there is general agreement that the need to opt -in or subscribe is clearly a <br />barrier to participation. According to staff in the State's Recycling office in the Department of <br />Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), regardless of how a curbside recycling program is <br />paid for, if recycling service is automatically available (meaning that the household does not <br />need to subscribe or opt -in) then participation is stronger than if the household is simply offered <br />the service and all they need to do is put a bin or cart at the street or road. <br />41. How will the district tax impact properties on Rosemary and Graham streets in Chapel Hill? <br />The proposed solid waste service district does not apply to properties located within corporate <br />municipal limits. <br />42. Why are some properties exempt from property taxes? <br />Some property is exempt from property taxes by state law (General Statutes 105 -125). The <br />following is an excerpt from this statue that comprises most of the tax exempt properties in <br />Orange County: <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 claim for <br />exemption in writing: <br />(1) A charitable, religious, fraternal, benevolent, scientific, or educational <br />corporation not operated for profit. <br />43. Why not include the entire unincorporated area for recycling service? <br />This was previously considered by the Board and could certainly be an option. This would <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 Rural 3 -11 Fee 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 this tax has been focused on providing bi- weekly curbside recycling <br />services. Given the tax is being referred to as "Solid Waste Tax District" rather than "Recycling <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 />10 <br />