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May 26, 1995 <br /> Dear Commissioner Carey: 20 <br /> I wanted to write and tell you that I strongly oppose raising the facilities impact fee <br /> from $750 to $1500. I attended the public hearing last night, but cannot speak in public and <br /> prefer to write this letter. As a matter of fact, I think the $750 fee should be eliminated <br /> altogether. This fee is unfair to the citizens of Orange County. I feel that those dwellings having <br /> children should pay for those children. My son graduated from the Orange High School. I have <br /> been a tax-paying citizen all my life and have more than paid my dues for his education. <br /> We are being"taxed to death" and this has got to stop somewhere. The cost to build a home in <br /> this county is already outrageous. The existing building fees, inspection fees, and permits we have <br /> now already put a financial hardship on the citizens, and now this impact fee! This will raise the <br /> cost of housing in this county even more and eliminate many citizens from realizing the American <br /> dream of owning their own home. I work in Durham and hear many of my co-workers refer to <br /> the"high Orange county taxes". Newcomers are choosing Chatham, Durham and Alamance over <br /> Orange due to these high taxes. I own property in the White Cross community that has been in <br /> my family for over one-hundred years. Can you imagine how much my family and I have paid in <br /> taxes on this same property year after year after year? We plan to build a modest home there <br /> sometime next year. This impact fee will put a financial hardship on my husband and me. We do <br /> not plan to have anymore children and do not feel that we should have to pay this impact fee. <br /> I feel that a serious investigation needs to be done regarding wasteful spending. Also, thousands <br /> and thousands of dollars could be saved on the actual building of these schools if"plain" buildings <br /> were erected instead of fancy elaborate buildings resembling hotels and shopping centers. I have <br /> seen both New Hope Elementary and McDougal. There is no justification for this type of <br /> architectural structure. A child would receive just as good an education in a plain"A-framed" <br /> building. It is not what is on the outside, but what is in the inside that counts. If this fee is to <br /> remain in effect, some sort of sliding scale needs to be worked out whereas the dwellings having <br /> children accept the responsibility for these children and pay for their education. <br /> I would like a list of the commissioners who are"for" raising this impact fee. Can you send me <br /> this information or call me at(919) 932-6923. I want to make note of this and remember it at the <br /> next election and pass it along to everyone I can. <br /> Please vote NO to this fee increase and encourage the other commissioners to <br /> do the same!!! I would appreciate it if you could share this letter with the other commissioners <br /> as well as Mr. Marvin Collins,the Planning Director. <br /> Thank you for your time and consideration. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Joan C. Smith <br /> 2416 Borland Road <br /> Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />