Orange County Commissioner
Candidate Questionnaire

Sponsored by Orange County Voice

Click here to download the Questionnaire

Personal Profile

Name:
Position Sought: Orange County Commissioner
District:
Incumbent (y/n):
Education/Professional Background:

Questions

1. What skills/training do you bring to the table that can benefit Orange County?
2. What is working well in Orange County Government? What needs improvement?  How can this be achieved? 
3. After decades of citizen concern, Orange County recently expanded the size of the board from 5 to 7 seats and aligned 5 seats to two districts.  Past discussions asked for more districts, cumulative voting, and term limits.  Do you feel that citizens of the county now have effective representation? If not, what improvements would you like to see?
4. What is your vision for economic development in Orange County?  Where will it occur? What financial impact do you expect your programs/ideas to have?   How long will they take to implement? How long will it take for the benefits to be realized?   
5. How will a future characterized by limited water resources and higher energy costs factor into Orange County’s plans and programs?
6. Under what conditions would you raise taxes? Which taxes would you raise?  Why? 
7. How can the county work more effectively with the towns? Would you favor merging departments with our town neighbors i.e. library system, economic development, parks and recreation? If yes, which ones and where would you start?  If not, why not?   
8. Assuming that the county proceeds with its plan to use the Durham waste transfer station in the short term, how do you believe Orange County should handle its trash in the long term?
9. What is the role of solid waste convenience centers in the county’s solid waste plan for the long term?  What services should they provide? How should they be funded? How will they differ for in town vs. rural residents?
10. What should Orange County do in order to manage water/sewer services in the Efland/Mebane community – including the Buckhorn Economic Development District, the Gravely and Efland-Cheeks schools and the Efland community. Will you support the multi-year rate sewer increases that are pending for the Efland communities?
11.  What is rural/urban equity? How will you assure that every citizen gets reasonable services for their taxes?  
12. Schools make up nearly half of the County budget.  Commissioners say that they only provide the money, and the school boards decide where to spend it.  School boards say that the commissioners don’t provide enough money to fund all the needs. These arguments leave taxpayers and parents frustrated. How will you assure that the schools are properly funded and that money is being spent on essential programs and services? How will you discourage excess and waste? 
13.  What role should the county and/or the commissioners play in helping rural communities who are targets for outside government agencies or special interests?   How will you work with concerned rural citizens on projects such as UNC’s recent proposed airport,   OWASA’s spreading of sewage sludge on rural land or UNC’s planned expansion of the animal research facility in White Cross?