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HILLSBOROUGH -- A couple who have lived in Orange County for most of their lives e-mailed Earl McKee about why they were contemplating the difficult decision of moving away.
It had finally dawned on them that they would have to sell their home and move out of the county if something didn't change. They just could not afford to pay the high property taxes any more, said McKee, a candidate for the Orange County Board of Commissioners.
"No one should have to feel like they can not afford to live in Orange County," he said.
Orange County must bring in new businesses to take the burden off property owners, who are carrying the tax load, McKee said.
McKee's vignette took place at a candidates forum at the old county courthouse Wednesday night sponsored by the Northern Orange Black Voters Association.
McKee is facing Renee Price in the Democratic primary on May 4 for the District 2 seat on the Board of Commissioners.
Price told the group gathered in the old courthouse that commissioners need to listen to the people in all areas of the county, many of whom feel that no one represents them.
"Too often we make assumptions," she said. "We need to hear what their needs are."
Price said she is running for the seat because she wants to play a more strategic role in ensuring a more sustainable future by growing jobs that support a living wage.
She also suggested that when funding the schools, it's important to know where the money is going to go if taxes are increased. Would the money go to teachers? Buildings? Administration? she said.
In the at-large district, Commissioner Barry Jacobs is facing challengers Joal Hall Broun, a Carrboro alderwoman, and Hillsborough business owner Joe Phelps.
Phelps attacked Jacobs' record on several issues, saying that if Jacobs had shown good leadership, the Buckhorn Village project, which was to include a large retail center, would have been an excellent source of revenue for the county.
"It's not going to happen," Phelps said. "It took too long."
Jacobs responded by saying there needs to be a truth squad for some of the things Phelps said.
Cabela's, a large hunting, fishing and camping supply store, was looking at several sites for a new store and he recruited the company to build a store in Orange County, Jacobs said.
"We got it approved in record time, and then the economy crashed," Jacobs said in explanation as to why the retail center never was built.
Broun reiterated a point she made during a previous forum. The county needs to draft an economic development plan that includes making a list of the types of businesses it wants to attract to the county and then develop the infrastructure to develop those types of commercial enterprises.
The county should also develop a more robust revolving loan fund than it already has to support and grow new businesses, she said.
