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MARK DOROSIN, CHAIR Orange County Board of Commissioners 17 gZ <br /> R VICE CHAIR <br /> MIA BURROUGHS Post Office Box 8181 <br /> BARRYJACOBS <br /> MARKKMARCOPLOS 200 South Cameron Street <br /> EARLMCKEEE Hillsborough , North Carolina 27278 � tio��'�� <br /> RENEE PRICE <br /> September 4 , 2018 <br /> Jennifer Robinson, <br /> Chair, GoTriangle Board of Trustees <br /> Dear Jennifer : <br /> I am writing in support of a corresponding letter written by Wendy Jacobs , Chair, Durham County Board of <br /> Commissioners to reiterate Orange County ' s support for the Durham- Orange Light Rail Transit Project and to convey <br /> to you the outcome of recent meetings to satisfy obligations as outlined in the Interlocal Agreement for Cost- Sharing <br /> for the Project . <br /> As you know, recent legislative action by the North Carolina General Assembly placed several limits on the Light Rail <br /> Project . According to the legislation , the Project remains eligible for a maximum of $ 190 million provided that all <br /> other non-federal funds for the project are committed by April 30 , 2019 , and that federal funds are committed no <br /> later than November 30 , 2019 . The Light Rail Project will be allowed to continue through the state ' s data- driven <br /> transportation funding prioritization process , which has twice attributed high scores to the Project . However, the <br /> financial plan for the Project states that the State of North Carolina will contribute $247 . 6 million . Given the new <br /> $ 190 million maximum , there is now a shortfall in the financial plan of $ 57 . 6 million . <br /> The Cost- Sharing Agreement states that if state funds to be used for the D - O LRT Project are cancelled, <br /> terminated, withdrawn, do not materialize , or otherwise become unavailable for the D - O LRT Project, the Parties <br /> shall meet within fifteen business days to determine how to address the situation . On June 21 st, I met with Wendy <br /> Jacobs , Chair of the Durham County Commissioners , Mark Marcoplos , Orange County Commissioner, and Ellen <br /> Reckhow, Durham County Commissioner, to satisfy this obligation, and we have subsequently met to continue <br /> discussion of how we will address the $ 57 . 6 million shortfall . <br /> According to the Cost- Sharing Agreement, Orange County has committed $ 149 . 5 million YOE to the Project <br /> from Dedicated Local Transit Revenues . Based on updated modeling with still conservative estimates , Durham <br /> County ' s dedicated transit revenues are robust and sufficient to cover the revenue shortfall , and both Durham and <br /> Orange County are in agreement on the plan to use these additional funds for this purpose . <br /> The Durham- Orange Light Rail Transit Project connects 3 major universities , 3 major hospitals , and 3 of the top <br /> ten employers in North Carolina, but it does more than that . It will lay the foundation for the next century of progress <br /> in our region and it will play an essential role in North Carolina ' s continued success . For these reasons , Orange <br /> County continues to support the Project . <br /> Sincerely <br /> Mark Dorosin, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> www. orangecountync. gov <br /> Protecting and preserving — People, Resources, Quality of Life <br /> Orange County, North Carolina — You Count! <br /> (919) 245-2130 <br />