Jon DeHart didn’t lose last night. All of us in Chapel Hill lost. DeHart has the financial expertise, knowledge of debt and ability to analyze risk that Town Council will need for the foreseeable future. He is a coalition builder and team player who ran a clean, transparent campaign. He can rise above snarkiness. We […]

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 […]

School board candidates generally run low-profile campaigns, even though our excellent schools remain a top reason people moving to the area say they choose Chapel Hill and Carrboro over Durham, where the taxes are lower and the houses cost less. The decisions school board members make ensure that our schools serve children of all capability […]

All due respect to Tim Sookram, I approached the mayoral election expecting to support Mark Kleinschmidt. In the past couple of years, which coincides with his becoming a property owner in Chapel Hill, Kleinschmidt has grown into the job. He has developed an understanding of the need to foster commercial development and a vibrant downtown […]

An understanding of finances drove our picks from among a field of strong candidates for Town Council. The economy shows no sign of improving, and the town is close to its debt ceiling. Decisions about raising revenue and spending will need to be made judiciously. We looked for experience, maturity and leadership. Here’s what we […]