[Durham INC] New resolution on ed tax referendum, other open resolutions

Sat Sep 24 08:23:11 EDT 2011

On the Education Tax:  I personally am concerned that the current atmosphere of education cuts is discouraging a whole generation of potential teachers (see this article from the Daily Tar Heel:  http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2011/09/state_cuts_in_education_cause_concern_among_teaching_majors).  I have mixed feelings about asking for some mechanism to monitor that the money continues to go to education -- I don't want to say anything negative, but I'm generally strongly in favor of "trust but verify."

Resolution
on Education Tax Referendum

Whereas,
state funding
for education has declined in recent years and money from the federal EdJobs
programs has now run out; and

Whereas,
the estimated
$9,000,000 raised by a ¼ ¢ sales tax will cover approximately 150 in-classroom jobs, as well
as some debt service for previously passed school bonds, a much-needed expansion
of pre-K services for at-risk kids, and work-study and grant funds to students
at Durham Technical College;
and

Whereas,
approximately
50% of the tax will be paid by people who shop in Durham County but do not live
here; and

Whereas,
many
necessities, such as food, rent, gas, and prescriptions, will not be taxed; and

Whereas, although the text of the ballot
referendum does not mention education, the Board of County Commissioners has
promised to dedicate the funds to education. 

Whereas,
our
neighborhoods benefit from a strong school system; 

Therefore,
be it
resolved that the InterNeighborhood Council of Durham supports the passage of
the Education Tax Referendum. 

Potential amendment: [The INC
further urges some sort of mechanism be created to ensure that this education
tax be used as advertised.]

------Appendix A:  Resolution on Transit Referendum

WHEREAS, a transit system that will maintain our quality of
life with the projected growth in Durham County’s population, direct that
growth in smarter ways, give people more choices, provide good jobs and
economic opportunities, and realize social justice,  and

WHEREAS, this election season, Durham County is the first
jurisdiction in the state to hold a referendum to adopt a ½ cent sales tax to
be used exclusively to transit, since such referenda were authorized by the NC
legislature in 2009, and

WHEREAS, the referendum was preceded by development of a
detailed “financial plan” for how revenues will be spent to encourage mobility;
this plan calls for 3 phases – bus expansion, then commuter rail to Wake
County, and finally light rail to Orange County, and

WHEREAS, Durham County is especially critical for the
regional transit plan related to the financial plan: it sits midway between
Orange and Wake Counties, and commuters come and go from many directions into
and through the county.  

Therefore, be it resolved that the
InterNeighborhood Council of Durham supports the passage of the Transportation
Tax Referendum. 

[Furthermore, INC and its member neighborhoods looks
forward to being part of the process of planning the evolution of the areas
around the transit stops.] 

(Note: The
last sentence was proposed as an amendment over the list-serve after the
meeting, following up on discussion about the resolution.)

-----Resolution on Urban Open Space Plan Objectives

Whereas, the Durham City and County Planning Department is undertaking the
development of an Urban Open Space Plan, which should provide the City with
proper guidance for further decision-making processes, including possible
acquisition/preservation or development of those areas deemed important to
Durham’s quality of life and our environment; and

Whereas, general open space planning has
concentrated on aesthetic, recreational and wildlife benefits, and (as shown in
the background below), with urban open space we need to add health, social and
environmental benefits; and

Whereas, Durham has a
certain amount of ad hoc data laying out issues and opportunities for open
space in downtown Durham, but nothing like the scientifically designed
collection that other cities are doing.

Whereas, many
neighborhoods have a stake in downtown Durham, and the recent history of Old
North Durham Park has shown that these interests can conflict; 

Therefore, be it resolved that the InterNeighborhood
Council encourages the Durham City/County Planning Department development of
Durham’s Urban Open Space Plan should 

1.    
Carefully consider the environmental health and justice aspects, in
addition to the more traditional aesthetic and recreational aspects. 

2.    
Create an environmental health survey detailing the above issues

3.    
Pay close attention to process and governance issues to manage /
minimize conflicts over the resources.

Background

Trees reduce the heat island effect; satellite data of Durham
County shows a clear connection between tree coverage and temperature.  Durham’s Urban Heat Island exceeds
10F.  Effects of this additional
heat include:

·     
In other cities air conditioning associated with this elevated
temperature accounts for 5-10% of electrical energy costs and associated
greenhouse gas emissions.

·     
Elevated urban temperatures make the effects of automotive
emissions worse in downtown areas and in surrounding downwind areas.  Reduced air quality increases incidence
of asthma and heart attacks by as much as 15 to 20.

Other benefits of the preservation
and protection of vegetated open space include decreasing peak runoff volume
through short term storage and evapotranspiration, filtering pollutants through
soils and other media, providing visual relief for urban neighborhoods and the
community, and providing habitat for animal, bird and insect populations.

All open space is a social and economic asset as it promotes
community investment, growth and development; promotes citizen connections and
multigenerational experiences and provides a more pedestrian-friendly
environment.  Trees are not “just
nice to have,” since the presence of trees calms people in urban areas,
reducing aggression by 25%, and promotes positive child development.

Urban open space is also an environmental
justice issue.  Durham County
data shows that families earning $80,000/year live in neighborhoods with 70%
tree coverage, but neighborhoods of families earning $20,000/year have just 20%
tree coverage.  

The Comprehensive Plan specifically identifies urban open space
areas that may need further protection (particularly sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
and 10) and the Unified Development Ordinance, Trails and Greenways Master
Plan, Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Landscape Guidelines and a number of
other plans/guidelines that have already been adopted or are in process provide
some control and protection of open space in the City.  However, urban open space planning has
two aspects that differ from general open space planning.

·     
Different types
of components – both publicly and privately owned spaces, including but not limited
to community gardens; isolated roadside trees, bushes and plants; benches and
bus-stop shelter areas; areas of strategic wildlife habitat unrelated to
recreation; rivers, streams, and creek corridors, and creek/bridge crossings;
city and county-owned small natural areas and pocket parks, cemeteries and
small natural areas around libraries, schools, and hospitals; median plantings;
informal pedestrian paths following sewer and power line easements; stormwater
facilities and similar sites; owner-maintained gardens and entrances to and
parking areas of commercial/office properties; and plazas; 

·     
Broader design
questions – not just aesthetics, but also the public health and safety
issues outlined above.

In addition to the “philosophical issues,” there is the issue of
having too little data.  As an
example of what can be done, New York City is starting to use the same
data-driven approach that they applied to policing on the environment and
public health (see http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/tracking/tracking.shtml).  

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