Growth & Development
On
October 6, 2011, approximately 200 members of the community gathered at East
Chapel Hill High School to participate in a “stakeholder meeting,” the second
scheduled event in a series of events associated with the drafting of the Chapel
Hill 2020 comprehensive plan. Equipped with high-tech voting devices and
packets outlining the various proposed mission statements and themes for the plan,
citizens expressed both support and concerns alike through the press of a
button.
Some, myself included, left feeling
a sense of disappointment that citizens in attendance had been given little
opportunity to verbally articulate their frustrations in any sort of forum-like
fashion. Even more, I asked myself what each of the plan’s proposed provisions
really encompassed. As a student of sociology and activist for marginalized
people, the ambiguity and overtly positive spin on the plan is worrisome.
A committee to help pass the sales tax referendum has been created with representatives of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the Chapel Hill Town Council, the Carrboro Board of Alderspersons, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools Board of Education, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, The Partnership for Children, the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce, the Orange County Schools Board of Education, the Greater Chapel Hill Association of Realtor, and Orange County Justice United.
I am serving on the Campaign for Jobs and Schools committee as a representative from Orange County Justice United. Justice United discussed the referendum at one of it’s full meetings and voted to endorse it. We are supporting the sales tax because funds raised in this way will reduce the exorbitant sewer and water rates for our lower income neighbors in the north of the county and will also reduce the tax burden on county homeowners, while supporting our schools.
Date:
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Location:
Chapel Hill High School, 1709 High School Road
Date:
Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Location:
Rashkis Elementary School, 601 Meadowmont Lane
Date:
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Location:
East Chapel Hill High School, 500 Weaver Dairy Road
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