Chapel Hill, Carrboro mayors foresee sequester effects

Local affordable housing programs and other federally funded projects could lose funding after a massive legislator-imposed budget cut kicks in today.

In 2011, Congress passed a law mandating about $1 trillion in across-the-board budget cuts if Democratic and Republican leaders could not agree on a plan to cut $4 trillion from the national deficit by March 1, 2013.

The sequester, which will go into effect today, will include a $25.4 million cut to primary and secondary education in North Carolina, as well as cuts to state domestic violence support, child care, vaccinations and senior citizens aid programs.

Orange County officials say they do not yet know what the extent of the sequester’s effect on local government will be, but many worry about the future of social service and transportation programs.

Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton said many projects — including road and sidewalk improvement and transit — rely on federal dollars.

“We would consider any of those projects to be potentially at risk,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that could be adversely affected.”

Carrboro Town Manager David Andrews said he hopes Carrboro won’t see a direct impact from the sequester, but he said the town might see a trickle-down effect from the federal funding cuts.

“We do think there’s definitely a good possibility of some indirect impacts if the economy weakens,” he said.

Andrews said the biggest problem at the local level could be funding cuts to nonprofit organizations.

He said social service programs for the financially disadvantaged, children or senior citizens could see drastic cuts.

“A lot of these nonprofit agencies, once they get their funding cut, may turn to local governments to ask for help,” Andrews said.

And local government agencies may not have the resources to support all of them, he said.

Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt said the sequester may have a more noticeable effect on the town.

“There’s potential for direct impact on the ability of the town to provide services to some parts of our community,” he said.

Kleinschmidt said Chapel Hill receives federal funding for many of the services it provides to residents, including all affordable housing programs.

He said he thinks the town’s neediest residents will be disproportionately affected by the sequester.

And any effect of the sequester on the University’s funding for research and grants could also adversely affect the area, Kleinschmidt said.

“It would have a trickle-down effect to our general economy,” he said.

Chilton said he hopes Congress will find a solution soon.

“Hopefully, Congress will at some point get their act together and pass a more reasonable compromise,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.