The wedge of man-made, drastic climate change will be the dominant 21st century social engineering tool used to force behavioral changes throughout the USA. (Just ignore the unrestricted carbon loading of the rapidly growing mega-economies of China and India.)

All “socially progressive” change can be dictated by invoking the faithful dogma of globally warning about “global warming”. Want to reduce vehicle selection? Say “global warming”. Need to densify housing? Say “global warming”. Care to reduce meat consumption? Say “global warming”. Like to tax all consumption? Say “global warming”.

Facts? Religion doesn’t need facts. Just don’t say one thing to the true believers – “population control”.

It should come as no surprise that the faux environmental political forces in Orange County are pushing the latest social engineering tool to eliminate the dreaded and evil pariah – the franchised restaurant chain.

On 2 June 2009, the Commishes considered banning any further drive-thru business operations in Orange County. The proposed legislative ban, spearheaded by Commish Mike Nelson, was countered by a county planning board recommendation that the Commishes NOT vote for the ban, but instead promote an educational campaign about vehicle idling.

The measure was narrowly defeated (3-4), with Commishes Nelson, Alice Gordon, and Bernadette Pelissier voting for the ban. Never fear, Commish Barry Jacobs voted against the ban, but wants to reconsider it AFTER the municipal elections in November.

According to Mr. Nelson, it was a sad day for Orange County. “Last night the Orange County Board of Commissioners had an opportunity to prohibit new drive thru windows. Why would we be interested in banning drive thru windows? Many folks view them as a necessary convenience of early 21st century life.”

Conveniently, Mr. Nelson omits the part of the staff report recommending “'franchise architecture’ shall be strongly discouraged.” In other words, remove the architectural branding that a highly competitive service business needs to differentiate itself. He also omits the part that considered allowing drive-thrus, but charging an annual “carbon impact fee”. Such a move would open the door also to charging residents such a “fee” (aka a tax).

Opining further, Mr. Nelson states, “There are two reasons to consider prohibiting them (an action, by the way, that Carrboro took over a decade ago). First, we talk a good game about walkability; the county's new comprehensive plan calls for building a more walkable, pedestrian-friendly community. Yet,our planning regulations all too often create the exact opposite. Drive thru windows, by any reasonable definition, do not promote the pedestrian-friendly development our comprehensive plan calls for. But the even more important reason to prohibit drive-thru windows is to reduce air pollution and to take our community's first steps towards addressing a global warming. When we're campaigning, we local elected officials make all sorts of promises about the need to address global warming and how we'll do our part. But for the most part the rhetoric hasn't been followed up with action.” (See Nelson’s Pearls of Wisdom.)

Mr. Nelson rarely bothers with non-narcissistic concepts such as acquiring supportable technical backup, taking courses of technical study or training, or reviewing alternative arguments. Thus, he sees no problem either with appearing in a national AAR ad wearing the label “environmental scientist” (a collegiate degree noticeably absent from his resume’) or with quantifying what will actually be saved by the ban.

Mr. Nelson seems to be unaware of a comparative report commissioned by a Canadian coffee shop chain (Tim Hortons). That report found that “ [the] congestion that occurs in the parking lot, together with the start-up emissions and emissions from the extra travel distance to get to and from a space, all contribute to produce somewhat higher (CAC) emissions per vehicle compared to a store that has a drive-thru.” The report is based on actual traffic counts and timings. It may not make Mr. Nelson feel good, but it’s called “scientific methodology”.

Apparently, Mr. Nelson is also oblivious of the fact that auto technology has advanced to the point where engines will automatically shut down if the vehicle stays in one spot for more than a few seconds, and then restart when the throttle is actuated. (See more about "mild hybrid" vehicles.)

Displaying his narcissistic crutch, Mr. Nelson seems to forget that a significant part of the population isn't like him. They can’t walk as he can. He seems to want to impose his lifestyle on those with physical disabilities, a telling demonstration of the empathy he possesses. If he can get out of his car and walk, then you can get out of yours.

Handicapped? Just swing yourself into your wheelchair. It's no big deal. Elderly with bad joints? Get walking.

In most of North Carolina, if the county commissioners said they are not increasing the real property tax rate from the previous year, then that means that the assessed value ad valorem rate is not changing. But Orange County is not like most of North Carolina. In Orange County property tax rates can be set to rise by 12% and yet still be declared by the Commishes as “revenue neutral”.

How is that possible? Welcome to the world of linguistic nuance. As long as you are not bringing in more “Total Budgeted Revenues” in FY2009-2010 than you did in FY2008-2009, you are being “revenue neutral”. Adjusting the real property tax rate higher to be “revenue neutral” to the county, is not actually “increasing taxes”. Got it?

Let’s look at the sketchy facts that have been revealed to date. The Pulp will not try to confuse you by citing tax rates based on real property reevaluations. The “86 cent” rate being tossed around by the county manager is comparing apples (raised future real property evaluations rates) to oranges (current evaluation rates).

In FY 2008-2009, the OC Total Budgeted Revenues (TBR) amounted to $205,924,141. That amount includes the General Fund, Special Revenue Funds, Proprietary Funds, and Fiduciary Funds. Of the TBR, $128,359,609 came from real property taxes. That’s about 62% of the TBR.

In order to calculate the real property tax rate for FY2008-2009, the county Budget Office looked at the assessed value for real, personal, and corporate excess property in OC. That amount is $11,940,513,287. In order to yield $128,259,741 in a General Fund Levy (close to the budgeted amount above but not exact), the ad valorem tax rate per $100 of assessed valuation has to be set to 0.998. That’s the OC real property tax rate for FY 2008-2009.

However, the Commishes have reported two important shortfalls looming over the FY2009-2010 budget. First, there will be a shortfall of $6,300,000 in motor vehicle, public utilities and personal property taxes in the coming fiscal year. Second, there will be an additional $8,700,000 shortfall in other funding sources such as state grants and sales tax revenues. That’s a total estimated shortfall of $15,000,000, out of a “revenue neutral” TBR of $205,924,141. Commish Mike Nelson declined to comment on why the public is learning about a $15,000,000 shortfall barely three months before a budget has to be passed.

In order to raise that $15,000,000 shortfall, how much will the real property tax rate have to rise?

According to the commish approved county budget, for each one cent rise in the ad valorem tax rate, the county raises an additional $1,272,224. Thus, in order to raise $15,000,000, the number of cents that need to be raised equals $15,000,000 divided by $1,272,224 or 11.79 cents.

The FY2008-2009 ad valorem tax rate is 0.998, or otherwise referred to as 99.8 cents. If you add 11.79 cents to 99.8 cents, then the county must increase its ad valorem tax rate by 12%. That tax increase will the percentage of real property taxes up from 62% of TBR to over 70%.

For county budget numbers see FY2008-2009 Budget.

So a 12% ad valorem tax rate increase isn't really an increase, but just keeping revenues unchanged. In the words of Commish Barry Jacobs, ”It's revenue-neutral for the county, but it doesn't mean it's going to be revenue-neutral for the citizens, I actually thought I was accomplishing something for people. Even by being revenue-neutral, the majority of people are going to have a tax increase, even though we said we didn't want a tax increase. That doesn't really address their concern adequately.”

Taxpayers are admonished by Commish Jacobs to take solace in their aging, depreciating assets. He pointed out that taxpayers they will pay lesser taxes. So the personal economic development program advocated by Commish Jacobs is to own delapidated property! Either that or be the caretaker of the property and let someone else pay for the taxes.

Commish Bernadette Pelissier appears to be in disagreement with Commish Jacobs. She says, ”We are going to spend less, no matter what the tax rate is going to be.”

(See N&O Budget Story.)

Orange County Manager Laura Blackmon submitted her resignation notice unexpectedly barely three months before a new fiscal year. It comes right in the middle of a budget cycle. She had taken over from Mr. Link after his retirement some almost three years ago. She had to report missing county moneys although she wasn’t in charge when the bungling occurred.

County commishes have handed Ms. Blackmon “Mission Impossible”. They don’t want to fire any county employee they irresponsibly hired as the good times rolled. (Pulpsters should remember that government has been the growth employer for the past decade in Orange County.) However, from Ms. Blackmon’s resignation statement it appears that this will require large cuts in services.

According to Ms. Blackmon, “Revaluation and neutral tax rate, however, are not the problem in and of themselves. The real problem for the coming year is most of our other revenue sources are declining, we have new facilities opening which means an increase in utilities and general operating costs, we have an increase in demands for services, especially in the human resources departments and the state is beginning to withhold revenue from us because of its budget shortfalls. Things are not looking good for the county or the two school systems, which have already been told they too will see a decrease in funds next year. The Budget Office has estimated the shortfall to be about $8 million, which will be difficult to absorb without cutting services or staff.”

More bad news comes out upon her notice of leaving. Ms. Blackmon reports that the county faces an 8% increase in medical benefits cost next calendar year. The Department of Public Works, the Information Technology Department, and the Parks and Recreation Departments all report increases in the cost of doing business. While the Health Department, the Department of Social Services, and the Emergency Services Department all report increased demand for services.

Meanwhile the Commishes who are responsible for overhiring in times of plenty, despite warnings from the Pulp for years, remain firmly ensconced, enjoying their medical benefits for a part-time job “well done”.

Ms Blackmon’s Resignation Statement
Dear Employees,

By now you have probably heard I gave notice to the BOCC on Friday that my husband and I have decided to leave the area and move to Tennessee. My last day on the job will be June 30, 2009. I know the timing of this announcement is not good, but my employment agreement with the county requires I give 90 day notice and I was running out of time. By the end of June I will have been here over 2 ½ years. This is not as long as I had originally thought I would stay, but life isn't always as we plan it.

I know you understand how difficult a year this will be for the budget. The BOCC has committed itself to a revenue neutral tax rate which means the tax rate will generate the same amount of revenue from property taxes as last year. A lot of residents are upset about the revaluation of their property, but the neutral tax rate should keep their taxes in check unless their property has increased in value above the average of all properties in the county.

Revaluation and neutral tax rate, however, are not the problem in and of themselves. The real problem for the coming year is most of our other revenue sources are declining, we have new facilities opening which means an increase in utilities and general operating costs, we have an increase in demands for services, especially in the human resources departments and the state is beginning to withhold revenue from us because of its budget shortfalls.

Things are not looking good for the county or the two school systems, which have already been told they too will see a decrease in funds next year. The Budget Office has estimated the shortfall to be about $8 million, which will be difficult to absorb without cutting services or staff. The BOCC has emphasized its desire NOT to reduce staff but to seek other ways of cutting expenditures. Those of you who are fully funded from outside sources such as grants, state and/or federal monies are more vulnerable than other employees because it will be hard to absorb the cost of your salary and benefits should those funding sources disappear. Nevertheless the Commissioners and Management are adamant about keeping everyone employed, so we will do our best to make sure no one loses their job.

Having said all that, it is crucial everyone understand and support the difficult decisions being made over the next few months. You have probably already heard there will be no cost of living or merit increases for employees next year. We are also expecting about an 8% increase in the cost of medical benefits next calendar year. These costs can be contained if we work hard to stay healthy and reduce our claims for insurance. Unfortunately that is easier said than done.

The department directors have submitted their budgets with a 10% reduction in operating line items, overtime and temporary employee expenditure requests. I am hoping this 10% cut will be enough given the shortfall we are expecting in revenues. However, some departments are actually seeing an increase in the cost of doing business (Public Works, IT, Parks and Recreation for example) or an increase in service demands (such as Health, DSS, and Emergency Services). In reality, once the final budget is approved some departments will see more cut from their budgets than other departments. I don't see how this can be avoided. Tough decisions will have to be made about whether or not we open new parks or county buildings that are now almost complete, whether we cut operating hours for libraries, the animal shelter, senior centers and other county facilities, or whether we limit the amount of services we provide for those residents in our community most in need of assistance.

I think the bottom line will be for us to reduce, eliminate, or delay those services that are important but not as critical as our core services, which are the services the county provides because it is legally required by statute or because government is the best agency to do so. Such decisions will not be easy and we must do all we can to suggest, inform, recommend and ultimately support the Board of Commissioners who will be tasked with that responsibility.

In closing let me just say thank you for all you do for the residents of Orange County. As public servants we have a unique responsibility to the community and I know you will continue to do the very best job you can despite the difficulties ahead.

(See notices in either the N&O or the Herald Sun.)

Almost two years ago Orange County Commishes were told by Mr. Gayle Wilson (Orange County Solid Waste) that the county landfill was running out of space by 2010. (See the Carrboro Citizen Trash Transfer Series.) Time had run out. A decision had to be made “RIGHT NOW”, said Commishes Moses Carey and Mike Nelson. With much public hand-wringing they voted unanimously to place a county trash transfer station on Eubanks Road.

Only a few stood up against the Commishes. Neither the Chapel Hill nor the Carrboro town governance boards stood up against a Eubanks Road trash transfer station. They showed their political courage by remaining mute, even though Commish Moses Carey asked them in writing for their opinion. Grassroots anti-ANY-trash transfer station groups didn’t exist. As long as the same old working class African-American Rogers Road community was being dumped on, the local media remained mute.

Then the trash hit the fan.

A formal complaint of environmental racism was filed against Orange County with the US Department of Justice by Rogers Road residents. The Commishes hadn’t followed federal government guidelines for locating the proposed transfer station. How rude. It was hard to keep the environmental racism garbage from clinging.

Public shame was followed by political challengers having the nerve to run in local elections. They actually attempted to make the trash transfer station process an issue.

The local media responded to these charges of environmental racism by waiting until AFTER those elections to pound their chest. Ensuring that only the “right people”” are elected takes progressive precedence over outing local environmental racism.

The local chapter of the Sierra Club remained mute as well. One Carrboro municipal challenger walked out on their political forum to dramatize the failure of the local chapter to get involved. The chapter president declared “foul” because Rogers Road environmental racism was ”one of their issues”. The reward for these faux environmentalists making like a herd of ostriches was support by the local Orange Progressive political groups behind their chapter president Ms. Bernadette Pelissier. She was handily elected to a county commish spot in 2008 without once speaking out against the environmental racism practiced by local government. (Bootlicking remains the favored mode of progressing politically in Orange County.)

Fast forward two years and consider the new found distaste of local Orange Progressives for employing what two years ago was proclaimed to be state-of-the-art, clean, attractive technology, a distaste that wasn't expressed at that meeting in 2007. Once alternative trash transfer station sites were considered, alternatives that aren’t not located near an African-American working class community, the shine came off the trash transfer station ”shinola”.

The town of Hillsborough was considered as a site. The mayor said, “thanks, but no thanks”.

Grassroots groups (such as the “not-near-my-farmette” Orange County Voice) sprung up to protest the use of a solid waste trash transfer station once it was to be moved off of Eubanks Road.

Finally, on 22 January 2009, with about one year to go to closure and the political heat on, a miracle happened. The dump wouldn’t close at least for another year, not until 2011, said Mr. Wilson. Although two years ago, the Commishes “had to vote now” and build that station, miraculously the Commishes could now vote to “examine alternatives to building a solid waste transfer station”.

In the words of Commish and nearby Hillsborough resident Barry Jacobs,”The basic assumption that a transfer station is the best alternative may be too narrow… There's no reason to not get a good answer to a question if you have time. After a certain point, you're out of options. We're not out of time and we're not out of options.” (See Chapel Hill News Landfill Miracle Story.)

Now that a non-African American working class community isn’t involved there’s time for the Commishes and local Orange Progressives to be thoughtful. Time they didn’t have two years ago. Time they have now.

In more words of caring from Commish Jacobs, ”We want to satisfy that we've looked at all reasonable alternatives. We want to be sure that we're taking an approach that is thoughtful and, within the realm of solid waste management, progressive. Within the philosophy of trying to reduce waste, are we making the best choices in how to dispose of waste? Those are the questions.” (See Herald Sun Plenty Of Time Story.)

No word on when the Vatican will send representatives to visit the landfill to witness the site of the miracle.

While southern Orange progressives (OPies) like to dream of being on the political avant garde, once again a more grounded appraisal reveals the proclivity for these avant gardes to reinvent what has already been shown to be problematic elsewhere.

The local Orange Chatham chapter of the Sierra Club Foundation labors under the delusion that it promotes “environmentally sound” policy decisions by supporting dense growth, applauding rapid population growth from illegal immigrants, ignoring deals between the national Sierra Club and toxic chemical manufacturers (see Pulp Clorox Sierra Club Tie-in Story), and remaining silent about local surface water carrying capacity. Proud of this record, the local chapter works diligently to get into and sustain in local political office such “environmentalists” as Mr. Mike Nelson (of the faux “environmental scientitst” and the Adams Tract creekside Carrboro public works “never happened” garage fame) and Ms. Bernadette Pelissier (of Orange County solid waste environmental injustice ostrich fame).

However, the derring dos of these staunch defenders of the local environment pale in comparison to the “environmental” achievements of Mr. Harry Reid, the Democrats’ Senate leader.

Back in Nevada, Mr. Reid is an enabler for developers and pit miners. He almost singlehandedly is enabling the raping of a desert ecosystem. His runaway growth environmental policy is unchallenged by the Sierra Club. While Lake Mead (Las Vegas’s surface water reservoir) is drying up (48% capacity), “sustainable”, “smart growth”, and “master planned” communities of 16,000 homes continue to bulldoze the desert ecosystem.

Sound familiar Pulp readers?

In the middle of a record western drought, Senator Reid co-sponsored a law granting the Southern Nevada Water Authority (the Las Vegas OWASA) a free right-of-way on federal land to pipe groundwater into Las Vegas from central Nevada, hundreds of miles away. The $3,000,000,000 plumbing plan would tap the Great Basin aquifer, a vast underground sink that runs from Death Valley, California, across central Nevada, into western Utah. As the Great Basin's groundwater is drained, desert springs and seeps will dry up. Native desert plants and wildlife will die off.

Mr. Reid, the enabler, is a darling of East and West Coasts environmentalists. The influential League of Conservation Voters gave him a perfect score in FY 2005 for his voting record on environmental issues. The national Sierra Club praised him for his opposition to a laundry list of things such as coal-fired power plants and oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

So what was the official Sierra Club response to the Great Basin “Drainage” bill? Not a word. What about selling off large tracts of government land in the Las Vegas Valley to developers? Not a word. Senator Reid hobnobs with none other than Mr. Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club Foundation.

It’s not as if the Sierra Club didn’t know about the bill. Senator Reid personally briefed Mr. Pope. According to him, Mr. Reid said “Look, it's important to me that we deal with our water supply problems in Clark County. This appears to be the best way.” That’s all it takes for friends to do friends a favor.

Sound familiar Pulp readers?

The Sierra Club’s excuse? It focuses on broad issues such as climate change and doesn't make regional water disputes a high priority.

According to Ms. Janine Blaeloch, founder of Western Lands Project, a Seattle nonprofit that closely monitors Mr. Reid’s sell-off of government land for Las Vegas growth, ”What's so dismaying is that he gets away with it, because the big environmental groups are bought in.” No supportive response from the Sierra Club.

The Pacific Institute, in Oakland, California recently co-authored a study of Las Vegas, growth and water use. It found that through more conservation Las Vegas could save nearly as much water as Reid’s Great Basin drainage is designed to take. No supportive response from the Sierra CLub

Sound familiar Pulp readers?

Just like Orange County, Clark County, Nevada, is even more hooked on growth. Are there other similarities between Las Vegas and southern Orange?

Consider both locations have transient populations that don’t pay attention to the development costs and local politics. Both have about a 10% voter participation in local elections. Both have developer friends on the municipal governance boards. Both have a controlling economic engine that is a palocracy. Both have a growth and extraction culture, (one minerals and growth, the other students and growth).

Sound familiar Pulp readers?

Mr. Reid has acknowledged that population explosion and drought are posing “difficult choices” for Nevada. Southern Nevada's water managers say there's nothing to worry about with the pipeline. ”This organization is about as environmentally friendly as you'll ever find a water agency, But we'll never know what the precise impacts are until we stress the system.”, according to Southern Nevada Water Authority's deputy general manager.

Sound familiar Pulp readers?

See Portfolio Reid Pipeline Story.

“Holy” Civil Union

Clorox has introduced a new product of “green” products under the consumer warm and fuzzy name “Green Works”. Clorox apparently has concluded it needed to amend its public reputation, being named by the Public Interest Research Group in 2004 as one of a “dangerous dozen” chemical companies in the USA.

PIRG contended in a report that Clorox's handling of chemicals at U.S. production facilities left some 14 million people vulnerable to contamination in the case of an accidental release. (See PIRG Dangerous Dozen Report.)

Clorox has responded by introducing a new line of cleaning products alleged to be more environmentally friendly. Clorox's first new product line in 20 years consists of five cleansers for bathrooms, toilets, glass, surfaces and other uses. They are made from “natural” ingredients such as coconuts and lemon oil, contain no phosphorus or bleach, are biodegradable and are not tested on animals.

So some eyebrows can be forgiven for being raised when Clorox also announced its new “partner” in the Green Works line, the Sierra Club Foundation (“Sierra Club”). The activist “environmental” political advocacy group, used to be better known for suing corporations than forging royalty licensing alliances with them. The Sierra Club will assist in promoting Green Works Clorox products in exchange for a share of the profits.

The Sierra Club won't disclose how much money it will get from the sale of Clorox's “Green Works” cleansers. The Sierra Club says it has the same policy for all “donations”, even though most donations are not licensing royalties. (Yes, this is legally not taxable under the IRS Code, just like the tax-free “stealth PAC” operated by the Sierra Club, see Public Citizen on Stealth PACs.) Such is the state of semantics in protecting the environment. In the words of Mr. Carl Pope, the Sierra Club executive director, ”To us, this is a sign that major companies see the green market maturing and recognize it's possible to manufacture and sell products that will be good for business and for the planet.”

Curiously, the Sierra Club has not endorsed through a royalty license pioneers in the field of green cleaning products, such as as Seventh Generation Inc. or Method Products Inc..

Michigan Ethical Response

Some Sierra Club chapters have maintained a sense of ethical behavior and have cried foul. Officers in the Traverse City, Michigan chapter have resigned over the deal in protest. ”They sold their soul to the highest bidder,” according to Monica Evans, who helped reactivate the club's nine-county Traverse Group in 2000. She and the group's other five executive committee members resigned in May 2008. Their resignations were made public in July 2008. In Ms. Evans’ words, ”The Sierra Club has been fighting against Clorox for decades, trying to get them to be responsible,” Evans said. “Now we're partners with them? It doesn't make any sense. That's the kind of scale that we really need across many industries to transform the American economy to one that's much more environmentally friendly.” Willett said.

Besides the dramatic Michigan response, local Sierra Club chapters in New York, Florida, New Jersey and Tennessee have also criticized the deal. (See IHT Clorox Sierra Club Story.)

Southern Orange Complicity

The local Orange-Chatham chapter of the Sierra Club (see Phictionary) has remained silent on the Clorox deal. Apparently, these environmental chickenhawks are too busy getting their members elected to “sustainable” local political offices (see Pulp Pelissier Stories), too busy facilitating and promoting overdevelopment, and too busy ignoring population effects from overdevelopment on their “sustainability” platform. Yes, the club exhibits the ethical conduct for which it is widely known locally. (See Pulp Local Sierra Club.)

What’s Next – Mutual Funds?

Having whet its appetite with Clorox, the Sierra Club appears to be considering branding a “green” mutual fund. (See New York Times Mutual Fund Sierra Club Story.)

No word on when the local Sierra Club chapter will hit up OWASA for a licensing deal.

The Orange County Commishes spent Wednesday May 7th toweling egg off their face as a record voter turnout defeated the land transfer tax option in a referendum vote of 2 to 1 against the tax. Pulp readers remember that the Commishes spent $10,000 to poll citizens. See ( Pulp Commish Poll Story).

That pricey poll revealed that 53% of the people polled opposed the local transfer tax. But the Commishes went forward with a $100,000 “educational” campaign to push the tax. They recruited every city school support organization (school board, PTA boards, et cetera) with the “promise” (a non-binding board resolution) to use the estimated $3,000,000 in local transfer tax funds for schools and parks. The implied threat was that without the tax, you can forget about full funding. The Commishes recruited political allies such as Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton to organize Orange Citizens for Schools and Parks to spread propaganda and not to tell the full story about the tax, how renters didn’t pay the tax and how developers such as Mayor Chilton took profits while leaving a $300,000,000 capital burden for you to pay.

Despite every major Orange Progressive openly supporting the tax, it was turned down. The two thirds opposition was higher after the educational campaign than before. The $10,000 poll revealed 53% opposition with many undecided. The undecided apparently decided to oppose the tax after being educated. Even after rigging the vote to be during what many believed would be a poorly attended May 2008 primary election, as opposed to the better attended November 2008 general election, the Commishes couldn’t get their tax.

Now the big question is, will the Commishes provide $3,000,000 in funding for schools and parks through raising the county property tax. If the school and park need was so great that a new tax was mandated (as Commishes and their supporters represented), does that need remain so great that they will raise property taxes?

Local media-described ”newly elected” Democratic commissioner at-large and local transfer tax advocate Bernadette Pelissier (running against Kevin Wolff in Novmber) showed her complete lack of financial understanding by saying ”I think the land transfer tax was put on too late in the whole process. I wish that the General Assembly had actually made it a tax more on new homes because there's a misperception that it's only for the seller to pay it, when it really can be in the closing costs and paid by the buyer.” Amazingly, Ms. Pelissier was against a fully burdened impact fee during her election campaign and for the transfer tax. Pulpsters, unlike Ms. Pelissier, know that the transfer tax was put on the primary election at the behest of the Commishes. Pulpsters also know, unlike Ms. Pellisier, that the Commishes could have asked, but didn’t, for the option of a higher impact fee from the General Assembly. Clearly, lack of knowledge is not a barrier to being elected in Orange County, so long as the candidate makes you feel good.

Showing her non-profit, tax exempt financial acumen, Ms. Pelissier says ”I'd really like the commissioners to look at increasing the impact fees, though that wouldn't solve all of the problems.” Kenan business school professors are still pondering the meaning of this statement.

Developer Dream Team water carrier and Chief Commish Barry Jacobs, speaking through a yolky beard and albumen facial mask, said, “I'm appreciative to the people who tried to take up the ball for the notion that local government needs more funding options. And in this case we only got to arrange for this option, which had the deepest pockets available opposing it. The notion that local government should have local alternatives is still important and still needs to be pursued.”

No word on the next tax to be brought to you by the Commishes.

Self-proclaimed long-time local activist, Hillsborough resident, former OWASA director, former county planning board member, former chair of the local developers’ rights support group (the local Sierra Club, see Phictionary), former Federal Bureau of Prison employee, and AWOL environmental injustice activist, Bernadette Pelissier, files for commish (see Phictionary) position.

Ms. Pelissier humbly announces “I’ve been involved in issues that span every corner of Orange County, so running for [commish] just makes sense for me.”

No word on Ms. Pelissier’s stance on the environmental injustice USDOJ/EPA complaint filed against all local governments (Orange County, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro).

No word on Ms. Pelissier taking responsibility for the current retail leakage in Orange County sales taxes, taking responsibility for the Rogers Road Eubanks neighborhood environmental injustice, taking responsibility for the development straining local water resources, taking responsibility for… pretty much anything while being involved in ”every corner of the county”.

In the Winter Orange County Democrat party guide, the front page articles are about water needs and the drought gripping Orange County.

Former OWASA director, former real estate advertiser columnist, and OWASA profiteer (aka local builder) Mark Marcoplos extols the virtues of OWASA in calling for you to reduce your water needs year round, whether or not there is a drought. While Mr. Marcoplos closes with a mention of shifting perspectives on growth (“understanding the carrying capacity of the bioregions”), he makes no call for translating that understanding into limits on growth.

Local Sierra Club president, anticipated county commissioner candidate, and “three blind mice” candidate for the Eubanks Road trash transfer imbroglio, Bernadette Pelissier, likewise, shows little concern for controlling development, instead wishing to control your life.

The salvation to local water needs is conservation, conservation, conservation. She glows ecstatically over asking the state legislature to approve local town ordinances that would require a homeowner to retrofit low water use plumbing fixtures at the time of a sale. For Ms. Pelissier, the currently approved alternative (a town or OWASA offering financial incentives) won't do the job. Better just to command you to spend money (thousands of dollars for non-mud hut owners). Use the stick, not the carrot. She doesn’t even offer the carrying capacity fig leaf. Yes, the local Sierra Club asks you to conserve water so others can move here and join you in conserving water.

No word on whether or not a grant has been applied for by the local tax-exempt Sierra Club to study the conundrum of supposed conservationists promoting land development.

No word from John Muir’s gravesite regarding the tachometer readings recorded on this latest pronouncement from the local Sierra Club.

Listen to the Audio Party Guide.

There's no better look at the contorted perspective from which an OPie views the world than this special bit of logic from OWASA apologist and profiteer, builder Marc Marcoplos.

”Wow - that link to Squeeze the Pulp alerts us to the smear campaign they are gearing up toward Bernadette Pelissier. In a bizarre rant, they sought to blame her for everything they deem wrong with the county, including the wrongful proposed siting of a transfer station on Eubanks Rd., before she has even served as a commissioner. One might ask, where the hell have they been for the last decade with their passion for environmental justice? Maybe if they had stepped up a little sooner than this year and actually done some organizing instead of blowing smoke then maybe they could have effected change. It looks like at least we'll be treated to some nose-holding entertainment by these local swiftboaters and slimebaiters.“

Notice how Mr. Marcoplos ignores the following facts:
1) Ms. Pelissier was on the Orange County planning board approving developments without once mentioning the carrying capacity of the land for water consumption.
2) Ms. Pelissier was on the Orange County planning board approving developments without once speaking up about where the trash from those developments were going and who was being affected.
3) Ms. Pelissier was on the OWASA board and never once mentioned the carrying capacity of the land for water consumption.
4) Ms. Pelissier was the head of the local Sierra Club and declared that there was no environmental injustice issue surrounding the Eubanks Road landfill.
5) Ms. Pelissier was invited to hold a Sierra Club forum on the Eubanks landfill issue and ignored the invitation.
For all these acts, Ms. Pelissier is to be excused because in Mr. Marcoplos' mind, “she wasn't a commissioner yet”.

In a classic OPie move, the problem is not the message, but the messenger. If only the Pulp wouldn't mention these INCONVENIENT TRUTHS, then all would be well.

Perhaps the most revealing move by Mr. Marcoplos, who has never once shown up before the Orange County Commissioners advocating for the people who live around the landfill that receive his trash, is that he accepts without question that for over ten years the commissioners have been unable to correct their injustices. He reserves his enmity for those who point out the problem.

No, the local Orange County swiftboater award goes to Mr. Marcoplos, poseur and apologist extraordinaire! (See Phictionary).

I got news for you, waterboy. Ms. Neloa Jones is serious about getting environmental justice in Orange County. And when those who back her and her cause are done, your eco-posing, developer rights support group stroking (local Sierra Club, see Phictionary), do-it-if-it-sounds-good, clear-cutting, carbon neutral breathing, fellow clubber Bernadette will not have a ”pot to Pelissier” in. At long last, the ǘberProgressive, usufructing anarchists like you and your buddies that have trashed this little town have competition from people who have their feet on the ground.

If that makes you nervous, then maybe you should quit drinking the cumbayah cool-aid. Since you are such a highly skilled builder, perhaps you can go stock up on R-40 insulation. You'll need something to deflect the heat that is coming.