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4 <br />OTHER PRIORITIES <br />Employment Anti-Discrimination Legislation (Statewide) or Local Ordinance <br />Enabling Legislation - Support legislation creating a statewide employment anti- <br />discrimination law and providing for local government enforcement through appropriate <br />mechanisms; or, in the alternative, support legislation allowing local governments to <br />enact ordinances prohibiting employment discrimination. <br />Sales Tax Exemption - Support legislation to exempt counties, cities, school boards, <br />community colleges, and the Orange Water & Sewer Authority from payment of state <br />and local sales taxes on purchases within North Carolina. The legislation should contain <br />a provision permitting the state to repay the last refund over a multi-year period to <br />minimize state budget impacts. Alternatively, Orange County supports legislation to <br />fully restore public schools' access to sales tax refunds. <br />North Carolina Housing Trust Fund - Support legislation providing appropriations by <br />the General Assembly authorizing recurring funds for the North Carolina Housing Trust <br />Fund to provide new home ownership opportunities and affordable rental homes for those <br />qualified under the North Carolina Housing Trust Fund, while looking to enhance federal <br />funding opportunities where appropriate. <br />Land for Tomorrow - Support legislative appropriations and/or bond funding to protect <br />the state's land, water, and special places, before they are irreversibly lost, by increasing <br />funding to the state's existing conservation trust funds which provide grants for land and <br />water conservation projects in every county. <br />Open Burning/Burning Permits - Support amending the statutes (G.S. 113-60.31) <br />related to open burning to remove the open burning prohibition exemption that is <br />currently available during periods of hazardous forest fire conditions, .during drought <br />periods, or during air pollution episodes; or, in the alternative, granting local <br />governments the authority to prohibit open burning without the State's declaration of a <br />hazardous condition since local fire authorities are best suited to assess local conditions <br />and determine the best courses of action related to burning activities. <br />Solid Waste Services - Oppose any legislation to further weaken the authority and/or <br />ability of local governments to operate and administer Solid Waste services, including <br />opposition to legislation similar to Senate Bill 951 (2006) and any other legislation that <br />would limit local governments' opportunities in their solid waste service delivery to <br />reduce costs, improve the quality of service, and/or meet local waste reduction goals. <br />Homestead Exemption Revision - Support revision of the Homestead Exemption <br />provisions of the Machinery Act to 1) provide greater opportunities for low-income <br />seniors to remain in their homes and not be displaced due to property tax burdens; 2) <br />eliminate the discriminatory features of the exemption provisions relating to couples; and <br />3) address the ineffectiveness of the exemption provisions in communities where <br />property values increase at substantial rates over short periods of time.