Lattes seem to be the budgetary benchmark in Chapel Hill these days. During the public comment
period last year about whether to proceed with the library expansion, a Friend of the Library brushed off the tax increase that the extra operating expenses would require as “the cost of a couple of lattes a week.”
Jason Baker revived the latte measure at the final candidates forum Sunday, again measuring an expected property tax increase against the expense of latte consumption. Baker, who has linked his campaign to that of Donna Bell to run as a team, perhaps should have considered how well that comment might play in Bell’s home district of Northside. Like the person who came up with the Cinderella piñata, he might have wished he’d thought that idea through. Perhaps if those property owners in Northside had just cut back on their latte consumption, they might have had the money to pay their property taxes and not been so willing to sell to developers who came in and changed the character of the neighborhood.
But hearing that sort of blooper has me out stumping for candidates with experience. Think of some of the things you said and did as a kid that seemed like a good idea at the time. Aren’t you glad you weren’t in a position of authority, so that the damage you caused was limited?
We are in the midst of an economic crisis the likes of which many of us have never experienced as adults. And there is no end in sight. We need mature, experienced representatives on council to analyze options and make well-thought-out decisions to make sure that Chapel Hill can remain home for a diverse socio-economic mix of people, not just the sector for whom belt-tightening means cutting back on lattes.
If you haven’t already voted, go to the polls now, before they close at 7:30 p.m., and vote for Matt Czajkowski, Jon DeHart, Laney Dale and Augustus Cho for Town Council.
– Nancy Oates
John Kramer
/ November 8, 2011Very well said, Nancy! Kudos.
Terri Buckner
/ November 8, 2011I’ve heard myself and a lot of other “mature” individuals make bloopers. Jason Baker is a bright and intelligent man who has been actively interested in this community for many years–longer than DeHart, Dale or Matt C. You may disagree with an analogy he has used or his positions, but it’s more than a bit paternalistic to attribute your disagreement to his maturity.
4 years ago a group of incumbents tied themselves to each other through a shared mailer. I hear DeHart and MattC have done the same thing this year, and it does look like Jason and Donna have done the same thing. I think it’s a bad idea, regardless of who does it and whether they are incumbents or challengers. We need elected officials who are independent. Sharing may save money, but to me, tying oneself to another candidate creates potential challenges of integrity later on. And as a citizen, I want to know that elected officials don’t “owe” others and that there are legitimate, but respectful, differences in positions.
That goes for sitting council members too. I most appreciate those council members who keep their electoral opinions to themselves. Leave coalition governments to Europe.
Good luck to all the candidates.
Cam Hill
/ November 8, 2011Near as I can tell Matt and Jon come from the industries that put us in the economic mess we are in and you expect them to lead us out?
You must be really scared of Jason to keep panning him so half wittedly…….
Ph. Johnson-Sledge
/ November 8, 2011One of the reasons I voted for Matt and Jon is because they can do something that so many council members fail at time and time again: read a P & L and a financial
statement. I’ll take that skill over “feeling” their way along CH’s fiscal issues any day.
Steve
/ November 8, 2011http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/cam-hill/Content?oid=1204537
I guess Architectural Woodworking is not tied to the housing market?
http://awinet.org/
DOM
/ November 8, 2011“I want to help return Chapel Hill to the value system that I grew up with. ”
– Cam Hill
OMG.
Cam Hill
/ November 8, 2011Let me be the first to congratulate ChapelHillBotch on the accuracy and influence of your endorsements. One out of four on the council! And Sookram just killed!
AWWWWWSOMMMMMEEEE!
HaHaHaHaHahaaaaaaaaaaaa
Terri Buckner
/ November 8, 2011Jeez, Cam, grow up.
John Kramer
/ November 8, 2011Nah, Cam does not need to grow up. Go Cam, go. I need some competition for persona non grata. Work it, dude!
I just take such great pleasure in knowing that in a day and time when the economy is totally in the toilet, and tons of people are unemployed, the wise people of Orange County have voted to have their taxes increased. How perfect. Congratulations, Orange County, and good luck spending all those Benjamins.
John Kramer
/ November 8, 2011Oh, and all the other results are just so shocking! The status quo got turned on its ear- Occupy Chapel Hill Style!!!
So much hope and change out there. What a bunch of radicals you Orange county folks are!
Terri Buckner
/ November 8, 2011Hey John–maybe you should look at the Durham results. The good people of Durham voted a new tax on themselves too (transit).
John Kramer
/ November 8, 2011Yeah- but it is for a much better cause than Orange. Sorry, Terri. I am not against paying for things that make sense. Hate to bust your bubble.
Durham is forward thinking enough to actually invest in transit while Orange is still having “charettes” and “focus groups” and the like about mass transit. LOL classic for a town that is run by the State.
Get ‘r done, Durham!!
John Kramer
/ November 8, 2011Oh and hate to seem like I am piling on, but Durham also passed the sales tax. They know that Orange County will continue to shop like crazy here and we can harvest those tax dollars for our own use.
Many thanks to Orange County shoppers for your support, and also especially the Orange County Economic Development department. Your epic failure is Durham’s smashing success!!!!