Will you be voting for Kevin Foy or Lee Pavao? Do you know who these guys are? What are they running for? What about Mike Nelson and Stacy Smith? Is today Election Day? Determining who will represent your interests in government is one of the privileges of a democracy. At the local level, you can see the tangible results of who has been elected. Policies will reflect the philosophies and beliefs of the newly elected, which may also, depending on whether or not you voted, reflect your philosophies and beliefs. Some of the outcomes of this election will vary greatly if either Pavao or Foy become the new mayor. Pavao wants to concentrate on Chapel Hill's transportation issues and increasing opportunities for commercial businesses. Foy supports limiting the growth of the community by correlating it with the availability of space in the public schools.
If you are registered to vote, then I applaud you. Consider changing your residency to Chapel Hill if you have not done so already. The importance of having your say represented in the town where you spend the majority of your time and whose policies will affect you the most cannot be emphasized enough. Even if your residency is not Chapel Hill, vote in your own town's local election so that you may still have your voice heard. With so much happening in the national spectrum, it becomes hard to pay attention to seemingly unimportant local issues. Yet the election of the mayor and the Town Council, or in the case of Carrboro, the Board of Aldermen, will determine the future of our immediate community. Affordable housing, noise ordinances, environmental protection and the growth of the University may all be directly hinged on the upcoming election outcomes. By voting in this next election, you can take an active role in the future of your community.
Judy Freimark
Sophomore
Biology
