[Durham INC] Clarity on Matching Grants

[Will Wilson]

INCers,

A kind editor mentioned that I "buried my lead" in my earlier tome 
regarding the DOST Matching grants issue. Forthwith:

------ACTION ITEM---------
Please GO TO next Monday's JUNE 10th BOCC meeting, 7PM in the Old 
Courthouse 200 East Main Street, 2nd Floor, to:

1) support the approved 2012/2013 projects;
2) support the MGP and OS/FP programs for 2013/2014.

Upon arrival, you'll find agendas and forms to sign up to speak. Someone
standing nearby should be collecting the forms. There will also be a 
certain amount of public comment time for those who wish to speak. Maybe 
hold a sign?

3) Your presence is highly desirable at the meeting, but if unable to 
make it, you can also email all of the County Commissioners about your 
desire to preserve this program at commissioners at dconc.gov

4. Also please send out this email to folks you know, especially ones
connected to these projects.
---------------------------------

One additional contextual point might be helpful. Several bonds now need 
to be paid (for things like the new courthouse and social services 
building), and the County Manager's initial budget proposed raising 
property taxes by a nickel to account for them. Facing some BOCC 
resistance the new budget proposes to only raise taxes by 3 cents, thus 
the BOCC needs to find some cuts to pay for the bonds we citizens 
approved in a referendum or two. As citizens we're being faced with a 
little "robbing Peter to pay Paul" and slightly increased property 
taxes. I'm sure that the matching grants/open space programs are not 
alone in facing the axe. Part of our message should be, "Raise our taxes 
to pay for our bonds instead of cutting programs."

Thanks,
Will Wilson
-- 
http://www.biology.duke.edu/wilson/
New Book: http://www.constructedclimates.org/