Minutes 10-16-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Chair Jacobs said the County has been borrowing at low interest rates. He said it is important to educate voters upfront when asking them to agree to these bonds. He said these bonds will be a burden to the community, not a bad burden, but an expensive burden. Chair Jacobs noted that there is a March presidential primary in 2016. He questioned whether that is a date that qualifies for a bond under N.C. law. Bob Jessup says if this stays in March then the bond can be on that date, but the presidential primaries are subject to change on short notice. Alderman Chaney said many areas got hammered by the legislature this year. She questioned where else they might get squeezed. She asked if there would be an opportunity cost for not doing a bond in 2016 due to the political environment. She wonders about the appetite for affordable housing, especially for seniors. She is very interested in housing, and she said there are no other resources available to subsidize seniors' housing except at the local level. Clarence Grier said the biggest concern would be additional costs being passed on from the state or any restrictions on revenue or debt. He said this is going to be hard to predict. He said the state has been limiting the County's ability to generate or raise certain revenues. He said there has been an appetite to pass on state funded expenses to local governments and counties. He said there were funds expended for senior housing on the last bond. He said this would depend on the components of this next bond. Alderman Haven O'Donnell asked if anyone in Orange County has looked at the projected number of fixed income people that are going to be retiring in the next few years. She feels there is going to be an unprecedented baby boom bump. She would love to see any projections that staff have on this, as this will drive demand for services. Chair Jacobs said three reiterations of the master aging plan have just been completed. He said the Department on Aging is on top of these trends, and seniors would be one of the groups that would be a big part of the bond committee. He said the bulk of the bond money will go to schools, but he does not know what else will come out of that process. He said all four governments will be represented in that discussion, as well as a lot of different interest groups. Commissioner Price said affordable can mean many different things. She said she is concerned about younger families that are living on the edge. She said there is a need for housing for the lower wealth population. Commissioner Pelissier said she agrees with Chair Jacobs that the senior community is really on top of these issues. She said the most participation she has seen in County public input sessions has been with the master aging plan. She said she also wants to mention those who are at risk for homelessness. She noted that the County had rapid re-housing money available, but there was no housing to be had. She said this homeless population is coming in and out of the jails, and that is not going to solve any problems. She said the provision of housing is key, and something needs to be done at a local level. Commissioner Rich said this is a cause and effect process. She said if the bond is not placed, and the community is not involved in the decision, the County will still wind up building the schools and spending the money. She said residents will then be taxed and not have a choice. She said you have to build schools. She said the discussion of bonds allows the community to be involved in the process. Alderman Gist said it is the middle class that keeps getting squeezed, and that is very real. She said the part she has trouble with is that the bond referendum is never really paid off, because you never stop charging the tax, even after it is over. She questioned whether there is a way to cut down on how much is being spent on the schools.