Thursday. October 30, 1 0GO
Referendum asks resident
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Dy JEFF COWERS
On Nov. 4, Carrboro residents will be voting for the
fourth time on a referendum calling for a property tax to
pay for the town's two bus routes. 1
Carrboro Alderman Doug Sharer said he thought the
high turnout of student voters expected for this election
could help the referendum to pass.
"I am very hopeful that this referendum will pass.
There should be lots of people voting," he said.
The referendum has been defeated three times during
off-year local elections that had low student-voter
turnouts.
Carrboro resident Hilliard Caldwell, who opposes the
referendum, said, "I think the referendum should not be
held during a presidential election."
Tax referendums normally are held during loca!
elections, when residents are not voting on national and
state offices, he said.
The referendum, which has been endorsed by Student
Government, is likely to be favored by students and low-to-middle-income
people who use the bus. Student Body
President Bob Saunders said.
Saunders said he and the Carrboro Coalition would
work for the passage of the referendum. "We really need
a good get-out-anoVvote campaign," he said.
But a group of Carrboro residents is working to defeat
the referendum by sending letters to voters and
distributing posters.
. "There is an organized effort to get the tax referendum
voted down," Caldwell said. "Property owners ought not
to have to bear the burden of the service which is used
mostly by students."
1L3
The referendum calls for a property tax of up to 10
cents per $100 valuation to pay for the C and J routes.
These routes are financed now by federal revenue-sharing
funds. '
Sharer said the town could not depend on the federal
money in the future. "To use it for a continuing operation
is very risky," he said.
"Federal revenue-sharing is not necessarily an ongoing
program," Sharer said. "Several times it has almost been
voted out."
State law prohibits the use of property tax revenue for a
public transportation system, unless such a tax is
approved in a referendum before the voters.
The bus tax could result in slightly higher rents, since
apartment owners would pay more taxes, said Gerry
Cohen, a member ' of the Chapel Hill Transportation
Board.
"If the landlord (of an average apartment in Carrboro)
were to pass on the tax to the tenants, the rent would go
up about 80 cents per month (based on current property
tax)," Cohen said.
"Landlords' profit margins are probably good right
now, so they might not even pass on the cost of the tax,"
he said.
The tax could provide for improvements or expansions
of Carrboro's bus service beyond those possible with
federal revenue-sharing money, Sharer said. "Without it
(the tax), it is unlikely that there will be any expansion."
Jeff Bowers is a staff writer for The Daily Tar Heel.
unvy commniissBoners
By RACHEL PERRY
Although Orange County Board of
Commissioners incumbent Richard
Whitted and Don Willhoit, both
Democrats, agree that the upcoming
commissioners' election holds no
controversial issues, Republican
challenger Josephine Barbour says the
county's high taxes and bureaucratic
growth are the issues at stake.
"Basically, the issues are what the
board is trying to do: providing progressive
county government for the people of
Orange County," Willhoit said.
Whitted, chairman of the Board of
Commissioners said, "We are more or less
running on the basis of the board's past
achievements. Our plans for the next term
include more support of schools, further
expansion of county human services,
further development of a comprehensive
land-use program and renovation of an old
county jail.
"Orange County has turned a corner in
terms of programs; we need to refine the
basic framework. I think the constitution
of these policies are the only issues to be
addressed," he said.
"We feel there are vital issues here,"
Barbour said. J'Taxes have grown high
enough. If we want people to stay in
Orange County, we are going to have to
reduce the taxes." Barbour said her goals
were the reduction of taxes, financial
inefficiency and bureaucratic growth in
Orange County; and the protection of
individuals' rights.
Barbour said her proposed cutbacks on
taxes and wasteful government spending
would affect county programs. "I want to
eliminate the duplication of programs
now present in this county. Programs can
be incorporated; we've got to start
economizing," she said.
"I don't believe taxes should be cut,"
Whitted said. "The only way to cut taxes is
to cut services, and I don't think that there
are any services in the county that could
be cut." Both incumbents have said that
the county's 90 cent per $100 property
pcttll Cere! in:: lutetrft!g
Si
FIGHT
CEREBRAL
PALSY
LITE GREAT STATE
ROFESSOR
RACE'
Li kS?
o
DATE:
November 9, 1980
(Rain date November 16, 1980)
TI.V.S: 2:00 P.M.
PLACE: NCSU TrackField, Raleigh. N.C.
L
t.
For the past two years Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity at NCSU has sponsored the "LITE Cr.EAT STATE PROFESSOR RACE." Its main pur
pose is to help combat a dreaded affliction CEHIDrtAL PALSY. It's also a fun event both for participating professors and their sponsors.
There will be two divisions consisting of a one mi!e run and a 1 0,000 meter run. Participating professors will choose which run they
would like to enter. Each participant wifl receive a "Lite Great State Professor Race" T shirt. The 1 st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each
race will receive trophies. The organizaton from each school which raises the most monies and thos-3 that sponsor the winning professor
of each race will also be given awards.
ENTRY F0HM
Please print name and address .
Entry fee: $25.00
Sponsored by
Enclosed.
Will pay day of race.
(Name of organizaton or mark "self")
Check appropriate school: :
NCSU UNC DUKE ECU
Pleas send entry form and check to:
ALPHA GA?...V.A fUlO. North Carina Stats University, 2304 ICsboroush Strett. Ra!-s!h. North CarcSna 27C07
tvurrcss ss a wrc&st w the fismt acajkst cztzztjx palsy
valuation is comparatiavely low. Of the 1 5
counties in the same tax revaluation
schedule as Orange County, only five
have lower tax rates, the two candidates
said.
Both Whitted and Willhoit have been
endorsed by the Northern Orange Black
Voters Alliance, the South Orange Black
Caucus and the Carrboro Coalition, a
group of politically active Chapel Hill and
Carrboro residents. Brad Kirkmann-Liff,
coalition secretary, said the endorsement
was based on a candidate forum held last
spring, and reaffirmed this fall.
"At the forum, josephine Barbour
couldn'tgive concrete examples about tax
rates and financial inefficiency, while Mr.
Whitted and Mr. Willhoit both provided
examples of county government
efficiency and progress," Kirkmann-Liff
said. "My personal reasons for supporting
Richard Whitted and Don Willhoit are
based on the effective job they've done of
managing the county, and providing for
costs and needs, without very high taxes."
"I'm confident that we're in tune with,
the needs and wants of this county,"
Willhoit said. Although Barbour has not
been endorsed officially by any group, she
said she expected support from the
Republican faction in Orange County. "I
certainly expect to win," she said.
"She's on the ballot, I'd assume she
would have a chance." Whitted said.
Rachel Perry is a staff writer for The Daily
Tar Heel.
Oiher stare races
In addition to the major state and
national campaigns, there are a number of
other races listed on the North Carolina
ballot.
In the race for attorney general
Democratic incumbent Rufus Edmisten is
facing Republican Keith Snyder, while
Democrat Thad Eure faces David Flaherty
in the secretary of state campaign.
Democratic incumbents Harlan Boyles
and jirn Graham will be running
unopposed for state treasurer and
agriculture commissioner respective !y
There also is a constitutional
amendment on the ballot that, if
approved, would require any jud,:?
appointed or elected to a state court t? a
lawyer.