Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
13 <br /> 1 mail-in voting; support legislation to make Election Day a State holiday; and oppose any <br /> 2 legislation which creates any barriers or deterrents to voting; <br /> 3 <br /> 4 26)Expansion of Protected Classes — Seek statewide legislative action to provide all <br /> 5 North Carolina local governments with the authority to include sexual orientation and <br /> 6 gender identity as protected classes in order to protect these classes from discrimination <br /> 7 and discriminatory practices; and authorize complaints for discrimination to be brought in <br /> 8 North Carolina Courts by any Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recognized <br /> 9 protected class; <br /> 10 <br /> 11 <br /> 12 <br /> 13 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT <br /> 14 <br /> 15 27)Minimum Wage Increase — Support legislation to raise the minimum wage to at least <br /> 16 $15 per hour for all, not just employees of the State of North Carolina, to enhance <br /> 17 people's economic security, improve access to safe and secure housing, boost the <br /> 18 economy with increased spending, decrease dependence on government assistance <br /> 19 programs, and improve the lives of families; <br /> 20 <br /> 21 28)Agricultural Economic Development — Support state funding and staffing for <br /> 22 agricultural research, Cooperative Extension services and other agriculture-related <br /> 23 efforts to support the largest economic driver in North Carolina; <br /> 24 <br /> 25 29)Economic Development Efforts — Support legislation to grow North Carolina's <br /> 26 statewide economy through sound state investments, including public infrastructure <br /> 27 funding, competitive incentives, and coordinated efforts with county economic <br /> 28 development services; <br /> 29 <br /> 30 <br /> 31 <br /> 32 REVENUE & TAX <br /> 33 <br /> 34 30)Revenue Options for Local Government— Support efforts to preserve and expand the <br /> 35 existing local revenue base of counties and authorize local option revenue sources <br /> 36 already given to any other jurisdiction to all counties. Oppose efforts to divert to the state <br /> 37 fees or taxes currently allocated to the counties or to erode existing county revenue <br /> 38 streams; <br /> 39 <br /> 40 31)Re-instatement of Earned Income Tax Credit — Support legislation to re-instate the <br /> 41 State Earned Income Tax Credit which greatly benefitted low wage earners until its <br /> 42 elimination after the 2013 tax year; <br /> 43 <br /> 44 32)Homestead Exemption — Support revisions to the Homestead Exemption provisions of <br /> 45 the Machinery Act to: <br /> 46 a) provide greater opportunities for low-income seniors to remain in their homes and <br /> 47 not be displaced due to property tax burdens by approving a one-time ten <br /> 48 percent (10%) increase in the base income qualification standard; and <br /> 49 maintaining the current provisions which increase the income qualification <br /> 50 standard each year based on any cost-of-living adjustment made to the benefits <br />