NOTE: The following letter came too late for tomorrow's Chapel Hill News. It was written in response to a story about the county budget that ran in Wednesday's News & Observer. The letter will appear in Wednesday's CH News.
The Orange County Board of Commissioners seeks to avoid a tax increase in 2009 and is committed to spending cuts and a revenue neutral tax rate (no increase in income to the county).
We accept the county attorney’s opinion that rescinding the 2009 revaluation is not legal at this date, and believe that such an adjustment would not solve our collective and individual financial difficulties.
The other night the commissioners directed the county manager to produce a budget for fiscal year 2009-10 that reflects a rate of spending no higher than supported by a revenue neutral tax rate. Assumed is a spending level reduced by a minimum of $8.7 million from 2008-09, about 5 percent.
The manager also was asked to provide recommendations for additional, significant, targeted cuts below that rate of spending. Those reductions, to be considered later this spring, could allow property taxes to be set below the revenue neutral rate. Further cuts will be balanced against our historic commitment to public safety, education, environmental protection, and support for those least able to help themselves.
The commissioners agreed to apply the same cap on increases for all taxing districts, including the district tax for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and fire department tax rates, subject to consultation with each affected entity.
The commissioners pledged to dedicate 48.1 percent of Orange County’s spending to our public schools, a previously agreed-upon target that maintains a longstanding tradition of superior support for education.
We also directed staff to send letters that offer assistance in reviewing and reducing appraised values to the approximately 10 percent of Orange County property owners who saw the largest valuation increases, 40 percent or more. (The average increase was 24 percent.) County staff will assist with appeals through June 2009. The back page of the letter will provide eligibility information for seniors and the handicapped seeking homestead exemptions and circuit breaker assistance under state law.
The Orange County commissioners understand and share concerns raised by taxation, government spending, and shrinking services in these difficult economic times. We remain committed to responding to, and balancing, the needs of all the residents of Orange County.
Valerie Foushee
Alice Gordon
Pam Hemminger
Barry Jacobs
Mike Nelson
Bernadette Pelissier
Steve Yuhasz
Orange County Board of Commissioners
Comments
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اقوى موقع بروكسي 2009 , تحميل برنامج بروكسي 2010 , مواقع برامج بروكسيات
صور الوليد بن طلال و صور زوجته و صور اولاده و بناته
فضيحة اليسا الجديده صور اليسا محرجه
صور فضيحة بنت جده لاحول ولاقوة الا بالله صور فضائح بنات جدة
صور و افلام جنسيه سكس و سكس عربي و غربي و ارقام بنات
ممارسة الجماع بالصور طرق ممارسة الجنس
جديد بروكسي 2010 لفتح المواقع المحجوبه بروكسي 2009
ملكة جمال العالم 2009 , ملكة جمال لبنان 2009 , ملكة جمال السعودية 2010
مسجات الزواج مسجات للمتزوجين رسائل للازواج رسايل زوجات جنسيه
تحميل برنامج آخر إصدار من الياهو مسنجر (Yahoo! Messenger) ماسنجر ياهو الجديد
هيفاء وهبي
صور اسقف منازل جديده جميله جدران الواح لوحات
صور ديكورات و فنون معماريه في المجالس والصالات و الحمامات دورات المياه
صور من الخيال البعيد جميله جدا , صور خياليه , صورة خيالية
صور ديكورات داخليه للمنازل ديكور بيوت
تحميل برنامج ريل بلاير الجديد ، حمل برنامج ريل بلير ، رل بلير ، رايل بلاير ، فيديو ، فديو، صوت
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صور وسائط متحركة جديده رسائل وسائط متعدده
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مسجات رومانسيه ، مسجات شبابية ، مسجات دينيه ، مسجات شعر
موقع بنك الراجحي , تداولات , تحويلات , إيداع , فواتير , مصرف الراجحي -
موقع بنك الرياض , جميع الخدمات هنا , مصرف الرياض السعودي -
مصرف الإنماء , جميع الخدمات لبنك الإنماء , تحويلات , تسديد -
بنك العربي , مصرف العربي , الخدمات العامة والخاصة -
موقع بنك البلاد , مصرف البلاد السعودي ,, جميع الخدمات -
الموقع الرسمي لـ بنك التسليف السعودي , جميع الخدمات -
الموقع الرسمي للبنك الأهلي , مصرف الاهلي , الخدمات العامة -
بنك ساب , الموقع الرسمي للبنك البريطاني السعودي , مصرف ساب -
بنك الجزيرة , الموقع الرسمي لبنك الجزيرة السعودي , مصرف الجزيرة -
الموقع الرسمي لبنك سامبا , البنك الأمريكي السعودي , مصرف سامبا -
الموقع الرسمي مصرف الراجحي المباشر للافراد , موقع المباشر -
موقع وزارة التربية والتعليم بالمملكة العربية السعودية , وظائف , التقديم , شروط القبول -
التقديم على وزارة التعليم العالي , موقع وزارة التعليم العالي -
وزارة الداخلية , الموقع الرسمي لوزار الداخلية في السعودية -
موقع وزارة الخارجية في المملكة العربية السعودية -
موقع وزارة الصحة السعودية , التوظيف الشروط الخدمات العامة -
موقع وزارة الدفاع والطيران , الوظائف في الدفاع والطيران -
وزارة العمل , الخدمات العامة , التوظيف و الوظائف -
وزارة الطيران , الموقع الرسمي لوزارة الطيران , الخدمات و الوظائف -
وزار الحج و العمرة , موقع وزارة الحج والعمرة -
وزارة الجمارك السعودية -
الفحص قبل الزواج , موضوع متكامل عن طريقة الفحص قبل الزواج -
شرح طريقة عمل إيميل , طريقة إشتراك ايميل هوتميل او ياهو , شرح فتح ايميل جديد شرح بالصور -
ازياء و فساتين زهير مراد 2010 -
ازياء و فساتين ايلي صعب 2010 الجديدة -
ازياء اطفال 2010 , ازياء للاطفال فقط -
ازياء حوامل , ازياء حوامل 2010 جديدة -
ازياء خليجية 2010 , ازياء و فساتين خليجية -
صور فساتين سهرة 2010 , ازياء فساتين سهرات -
خلطات للتنحيف , خلطات رجيم لانقاص الوزن -
خلطة بياض الثلج خلطات قوية ومؤثرة للتبيض -
جميع خلطات مبارك الاشقر الجديدة -
خلطات للبشرة الدهنية و الجافة و الحساسة , خلطات جديدة -
خلطات جديدة للجسم - خلطات مجربه للجسم كله -
خلطات للوجه الجاف و الدهني و الحساس , خلطات جديدة -
خلطات لتنعيم الشعر , خلطات العناية بالشعر تساقط الشعر -
خلطات لتطويل الشعر , خلطات لتكثيف الشعر , خلطات شعر مضمونه -
Call me
Sun, 04/05/2009 - 20:14 — fhblackI would be happy to answer any questions. I'm in the book.
Embarrassed?
Sun, 04/05/2009 - 21:19 — TBlakeWhy not state your credentials Fred? I have stated mine.
By the way. the answer to tonight's pop quiz is: Douglas McArthur. Your military history fails you, Fred.
Frankly its *your* brand of "progressive thinking" that lead to 30+ years of the Rogers road embarrassment. Go ahead; I challenge you. Take a drive out to the new county 2+ million dollar solid waste operations center on Eubanks and sit in the parking lot (as I have done) smell your "progressiveness". Answer the question; Why won't Chapel Hill/Carrboro give Rogers road water & sewer after polluting their wells, Fred? Will it take Roger Perry buying up the land cheaply to accomplish that feat?
Next, take a drive out our way Fred. Tell me that a Waste Transfer Station in rural White Cross is a fiscally responsible decision by the "path of least resistance" BoCC. While people are complaining about reassessments, they really should take a close look at how the solid waste money is spent and where it comes from (Hint; it doesn't come from the county budget)
Then tell me why the county and municipalities have "commercial industrial" zones that make fiscal sense and do not necessitate the kind of invasion this facility brings and why *your* BoCC caves to threats of annexation or veto from the municipalities.
Tell me why the chairman (a Chapel Hill resident) of the SWAB makes statement like "It is Chapel Hills expectation that they will have a place to dump their garbage in Orange County"....but fails to pony up even one potential site other than Eubanks.
Talk about NIMBY.
Yea. Guys like you Fred are all about "taking responsibility for "our" garbage". As long as you don't have to smell it or deal with it. Why won't you take the responsibility for the decisions people you are supporting have made, Fred?
P.S. I am in the book too. However I really have no reason to debate you in private, it is too much fun to using your comments as a foil :)
Your response
Sun, 04/05/2009 - 21:30 — fhblacksays it all and proves the original point. I have nothing to prove to you, just proud to be "a guy like me."
You make it personal
Mon, 04/06/2009 - 09:41 — TBlakeFred, and every time you do I am going to take it right back to you. I would think a smart guy like you would learn, but I guess the school yard bully in a "guy like you" dies hard.
The BoCC is a low paying job. People get burned out. There is unequal representation and the process seems to encourage the path of least resistance to any thorny issue.
There are better ways, and the best one I have seen involves critical thinking about planning and zoning for the future, building consensus about how and where to solve the problems, and above all, clear communication. Attempts to build this sort of solution with the current BoCC have been met with resistance and obfuscation.
According to Warren Bennis it boils down to the difference between "managing" and "leading":
Managers administer, leaders innovate
Managers ask how and when, leaders ask what and why
Managers focus on systems, leaders focus on people
Managers do things right, leaders do the right things
Managers maintain, leaders develop
Managers rely on control, leaders inspire trust
Managers have a short-term perspective, leaders have a longer-term perspective
Managers accept the status-quo, leaders challenge the status-quo
Managers have an eye on the bottom line, leaders have an eye on the horizon
Managers imitate, leaders originate
Managers emulate the classic good soldier, leaders are their own person
Managers copy, leaders show originality
To suggest that the BoCC are above criicism and to "shoot the messenger" as you attempted to do is an attempt to "Manage".
And You Sir
Mon, 04/06/2009 - 11:54 — fhblackappear to have a problem with reading comprehension, again. I did not say that the BoCC were above criticism. Re-read what I said - this seems to be your consistent pattern.
I will not play your silly games and that's what seems to disturb you and your approach to every topic.
My leadership record is out there, so continue with your silly allegations all you want. I refuse to play.
Reading comprehension?
Mon, 04/06/2009 - 12:46 — TBlakefhblack said: "It must be an awesome responsibility and heavy burden to be the self-selected arbiter of who knows, who doesn't, who's right, who's wrong, what's good, what's bad, what should, what shouldn't, and on and on. Some at least step up, put themselves out there, and try to do the things that they believe are right while others sit back and revel in the role of all-knowing and insistent critic."
The first part is a personal attack on your part.
You implication in you second sentence is that those who somehow "step up" (your words but no idea what "step up" means), are "doing the right thing" and are better than those who criticize. Second that those who criticize (presumably me) are "sitting back" and "reveling".
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I think the meaning of your post is clear, but I invite you to restate your comment. Otherwise, it is you sir, who is the instigator of "silly allegations" and "silly games" using personal attack and bully tactics to make an absurd point.
and my question
Fri, 04/03/2009 - 11:40 — cantaloupeand my question is........who's going to sue?
A lawsuit is not necessary
Fri, 04/03/2009 - 21:01 — elvisboy77Just vote them out in the next election. The time for real change is coming.
2010
Sat, 04/04/2009 - 15:54 — fhblackDo you know which 3 of the 7 seats will be on the ballot in 2010? (For the other 4 seats you have to wait until 2012.)
Since none of the three incumbents have stated what their intentions might be in 2010, your "just vote them out in the next election" might not be the answer. Maybe the hard job will be to find others willing to run for open seats or against incumbents so that they can have the seemingly thankless job of Orange County Commissioner.
Path of least
Sat, 04/04/2009 - 20:41 — TBlake....resistance decision making, playing one community against another in an endless reactive circle of bad decisions.
Failure to plan ahead and build consensus to make the decisions that will be needed, instead waiting until we are up against the wall with no way out.
Failure to stand up to the municipalities when they duck their responsibilities.
Allowing Chapel Hill to transfer their bad decisions in 1999 to the county via the interlocal agreement.
Continuing to allow the municiplalitis to exploit the county and perpetuate inequity in schools, and other services.
Occupy some of the most expensive office space, taking it off the tax rolls and denying it to tax paying buisness.
Exempting themselves from their own zoning.
Wasting money building redundant facilities.
Clinging to an interlocal agreement that is dead.
Adnausium
Thankless yes, but perhaps also for good reason.
Awesome
Sun, 04/05/2009 - 11:00 — fhblackIt must be an awesome responsibility and heavy burden to be the self-selected arbiter of who knows, who doesn't, who's right, who's wrong, what's good, what's bad, what should, what shouldn't, and on and on. Some at least step up, put themselves out there, and try to do the things that they believe are right while others sit back and revel in the role of all-knowing and insistent critic.
Pathetic
Sun, 04/05/2009 - 19:09 — TBlakeIt is pathetic to constantly believe just because they are elected, showing up to a reoccurring meeting. To blindly support who knows, who doesn't, who's right, who's wrong, what's good, what's bad, what should, what shouldn't, and on and on.
We have honestly tried to be *for* something rather than against it. We have provided community cohesiveness building consensus across communities rather than relying divisiveness. Only to have the OCBoCC reject the opportunity to plan in favor of BaU decisions that are roundly mocked in the community.
Some at least care enough to question the absurdity.
If everyone is thinking the same thing Fred, someone is not thinking. Who said that?
What is it exactly YOU do Fred? Where is your consulting expertise being applied to better the community?
G.S. 159-11
Sat, 03/28/2009 - 19:04 — tbucknerThe General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 159-11 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(e) In each year in which a general reappraisal of real property has been conducted, the budget officer shall include in the budget, for comparison purposes, a statement of the revenue-neutral property tax rate for the budget. The revenue-neutral property tax rate is the rate that is estimated to produce revenue for the next fiscal year equal to the revenue that would have been produced for the next fiscal year by the current tax rate if no reappraisal had occurred. To calculate the revenue-neutral tax rate, the budget officer shall first determine a rate that would produce revenues equal to those produced for the current fiscal year and then increase the rate by a growth factor equal to the average annual percentage increase in the tax base due to improvements since the last general reappraisal. This growth factor represents the expected percentage increase in the value of the tax base due to improvements during the next fiscal year. The budget
officer shall further adjust the rate to account for any annexation, deannexation, merger, or similar event."
Wow!
Sat, 03/28/2009 - 18:04 — elvisboy77What a bunch of doublespeakers. Best I can tell, everyone who owns property is going to see a 12% INCREASE in their taxes. Heaven forbid any pet projects get removed.
Revenue neutral my foot. They are going to INCREASE property taxes to make up for a DECREASE in other income.
Got tea party? I hope so. I do.
Saving this clip for the next elections. Thanks!
Why Make This So Hard?
Sat, 03/28/2009 - 18:55 — fhblackOur law is pretty clear: "Revenue neutral is a tax rate that when applied to the new property values will generate the same tax dollars as received in the previous year."
Nothing in that says anything about what each of us as individuals will end up paying. My taxes might go up and yours might go down, but that is not what the "revenue neutral" rate is about, and note that it doesn't include all of the other taxes.
See the analysis at:
http://www.co.orange.nc.us/OCCLERKS/0903242.pdf
Nice try
Sat, 03/28/2009 - 16:37 — jcbarrbut State law doesn't define "revenue neutral" in this way, so you are not doing what you've said you'd do all along by this new definition.