We urge all Orange County citizens to vote in favor of the tax referendum that will be on the ballot this November. As former members and chairs of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education, we believe that this tax will provide critical funds for our schools now and into the future.
One-half of the $2.5 million raised annually by this tax will go directly to the schools to improve older buildings and keep technology current. Money from North Carolina for these purposes has been cut in recent years, but the needs remain as urgent as ever.
The other half of the money will go toward supporting economic development across Orange County to bring us jobs and diversify our tax base. For too long, we have relied too heavily on residential property taxes to pay for local services, including schools. Expanding existing businesses and recruiting new ones will result in the growth of the business component of our tax base, alleviating pressure on homeowners.
The quarter-cent sales tax (look for “Local sales and use tax at the rate of one-quarter percent (0.25%)†on your ballot) will not be levied on groceries, gas or prescription drugs. For more information about the tax, go to www.co.orange.nc.us.
We have long been a community that looks to the future and believes that education is the path to individual and public prosperity. Please vote YES for the quarter-cent sales tax.
Elizabeth Mason Carter
Carrboro
Nick Didow
Chapel Hill
Lisa Stuckey
Chapel Hill