Stop, Look, and Listen: Petition to Orange County Commissioners

Special note to signers: We encourage you to sign your name with a comment instead of signing anonymously - it is much more effective to display real names. Thank you!

Whereas Triangle Transportation Authority (Go Triangle) has asked Orange County Commissioners to commit to spending an additional $40 million dollars on top of existing commitments over the next 10 years for the Light Rail project, and in addition has given the Commissioners only two weeks to make this decision;

Whereas Triangle Transportation Authority (Go Triangle) has known since last summer that the state of North Carolina could not come up with the needed matching funds in order to move ahead with a light rail line between Duke and UNC;

Whereas Triangle Transportation Authority (Go Triangle) has also petitioned the local funding agency (MPO) for an additional 20 million which would endanger local projects;

Whereas elected officials need time to assess future needs for our own County schools, social services and local transit needs before making such a large unexpected commitment of funds;

Whereas all Orange County citizens are entitled to understand the implications of County decisions for future tax increases;

And whereas if the Orange County Commissioners sign a commitment (the letter of intent) now, they will give up their ability to renegotiate the funding agreement with Durham County and Go Triangle: