Minutes 04-18-2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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20 people around efficiently. The Transit plan will provide a major step towards improving this. Finally: it is well known that properties around transit stations will be increase and value and will prosper for small businesses. Both Chapel Hill and Durham will enjoy these increases, which we can all get behind. Let us please not be bullied by bogymen like unknown increasing costs and or irrational fears of one city benefiting more than the other. Let's move forward with this plan. Thank you! Aaron Nelson said he is the president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. He said their Board of Directors (BOD) voted to support the transit tax in 2012 and has continued to do so. He said in this past year, the BOD has been concerned about the costs, and did some research. He said after conducting this research, the BOD is still in full support of the plan and the north-south corridor, contingent on the fact that Orange County's portion of capital costs does not exceed 18%. He said there are risks, but they are worth it. Kristen Smith is a chamber employee, and they support the plan. She reviewed a summary of their Board's comments. Kenneth Parker said he is a transit ambassador working in Carrboro. He spoke to the importance of public transit in everyone's life. He said he supports public transit in any and all forms. Allen Spalt said he and his wife are here to support the light rail and BRT. He said congestion is here, and it will only get worse. He said if the BOCC waits, the costs will escalate. He said this is the start of a regional plan. William Charles said Orange County has been a victim of hippie thinking. He said this light rail plan is an abuse of all Orange County taxpayers for the next 45 years, starving the County of funds for all other services. He said the solution will be to raise people's taxes. He said he will raise funds to support people who run against those Commissioners who vote for this plan. He encouraged the BOCC to support a more effective plan. Lisa Kaylie said she agreed with the comments made by Desiree Goldman, and she is against light rail. She said she also agreed with Bonnie Hauser, and said her main concern is the costs. She said $3.3 billion will be spent, and most residents will still be stuck in their cars lacking affordable transportation. Keagan Sacripanti is a grad student at UNC, and said he is in support of the light rail. Jamezetta Bedford said she sent the Board an article from the Journal of Accountancy yesterday, called The Importance of Killing Projects. She said it is important that government pays attention to exit strategies, and when too much is too much. She said Davenport referred to the importance of exit points throughout their presentation a few weeks ago. She said if the Board moves forward with the LRT, it must start thinking of exit strategies based on a dollar maximum for cost overruns, not a percent. She said as a Certified Public Accountant she believes the County can no longer afford the current plan for light rail. She said UNC Hospitals are a very important resource to this state, and the state needs to fund options to get their employees to and from work there. She suggested waiting four years to see if the Democrats can take back the house and the federal government, thus leading to increased state funding. She said, in the mean time, to use the sales tax to acquire land and develop transit that benefits all of Orange County. Chair Dorosin said to take a 3-minute break at 9:55 p.m. The meeting resumed at 9:59 p.m. James Bondurant said he is a student at UNC-Chapel Hill, and he is in support of light rail.