6 Battle for 3 Commissioner Seats

Six candidates, three incumbents and three challengers, are running for the three open seats.

The board members seeking re-election are Democrats Alice Gordon, Stephen Halkiotis and Barry Jacobs.

Gordon lives just south of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and has been serving on the board for 12 years.

She said the most important issues facing the board are schools, environmental protection and good government.

We need a caring, financially responsible and inclusive county government," she said.

"I want people to notice my solid record of acceleration in the areas of improving schools and protecting the environment, and I will continue to contribute in those areas," she said.

Halkiotis lives in Hillsborough and has been serving on the board for 16 years.

He thinks Orange County's future is "extremely bright" and the most important issues are the county's two school systems, the environment and human services.

"I care about people, and I believe in a government that cares about people," Halkiotis said.

The final incumbent, Jacobs, has served on the board for the past four years and also resides in Hillsborough.

Jacobs aims to achieve social justice, smart growth, preservation of the quality of life and equal opportunity for a quality education.

He sees "continued exceptional education" in the county's future and added, "We should continue to strive for a heterogeneous community."

The three challengers for these seats are Republicans Jamie Daniel and Robin Staudt and Libertarian Seth Fehrs.

Daniel is a self-employed business owner and also lives in Hillsborough. His main interest is to help the northern, more rural part of Orange County, he said.

Daniel thinks the most important issue facing the entire county is taxes and criticized the board's recent vote to raise the sales tax a half-cent.

"The old board should have stood up against the sales tax increase," he said. "Are all taxes bad? No. But can they go overboard? Yeah."

Daniel thinks the main reason he should be elected is because the old board's vision has become too narrow. "It's time for the old dogs to go on off and let some new blood take over," he said.

Staudt lives in Efland and said she wants to aid those outside the Chapel Hill area of the district as well. "These people have none of the services or benefits of the rest of the county," she said.

Staudt said she wants to bring economic development to help broaden the economic base of the county, which would add revenue, and in turn lessen property taxes.

Staudt said she also was upset the board did not stand up against Gov. Mike Easley on the sales tax increase.

"It boggles the mind that our board won't stand up and demand the money that is ours."

Fehrs is a programmer from Hillsborough and has served as a member of the N.C. Executive Committee.

Fehrs said he would look over the board's old programs as much as implementing new ones. "I'd like to see that schools are funded as opposed to building a senior citizens center in Chapel Hill," he said.

Fehrs thinks he would add to the diversity of the board if elected. "With them all being liberal Democrats, it would be hard not to add to the diversity."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.