2007 Chapel Hill-Orange County Elections

2007 Carrboro Municipal Elections

Mayor
Mark Chilton
Chuck Morton
Brian Voyce

Board of Aldermen
Frank Abernethy
Joal Broun
Dan Coleman
Sharon Cook
Lydia Lavelle
Katrina Ryan

Lydia Lavelle
www.lydialavelle.com
Click here for Chamber Commentary
Click here for Audio Responses

Legend:
Y = Yes, N = No, U = Undecided

1.) Is increasing the commercial tax base in Carrboro an important priority for you?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

2.) Would you support shortening thetime it takes to have a project approved or denied in Carrboro if the quality of the development and level of citizen input remained high?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	N	Y/N	Y	U	U	Y	Y	Y	Y

3.) Would you support creating a set of criteria for desirable development projects and then expediting the approval process for projects that meet those established objectives?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	N	N	Y	U	U	Y	Y	Y	Y

4.) Do you support land use regulations and regulatory practices that promote workforce housing and residential density along transportation corridors?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	U	Y	Y

5.) Would you support a cap on the privilege license tax?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
N	U	N	Y	U	Y	Y	U	Y	Y

6.) Do you think a healthy growing economy is an equally important component of community sustainability as environmental protection and social equity?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	Y	Y	Y	U	Y	Y	U	Y	Y

7.) Do you generally support the concept of developing the Horace Williams Tract into a mixed use research park (Carolina North)?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	Y	Y	U	U	Y	U	Y	Y	Y

8.) Do you agree with the town’s stated goal of doubling commercial density?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	Y	Y/N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

9.) Will you vote to identify an additional commercial node in Carrboro?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	Y	Y/N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

10.) Do you believe the town should consider extending its moratorium in the Northern Study Area if it has not completed its rezoning process by its expiration in October?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
Y	Y	Y	N	Y	U	Y	Y	Y	N

11.) Do you think the town needs to do more to make sure its committees and taskforces include more representation from the business community where there is currently very little?
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen						Chamber Position
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan	Chamber Position
N	Y	Y	Y	U	U	Y	Y	U	Y

12.) List up to three specific things you would do to make Carrboro a better place to do business.
Carrboro Mayor			Carrboro Board of Aldermen
Chilton	Morton	Voyce	Abernethy	Broun	Coleman	Cook	Lavelle	Ryan

Please click the following questions to hear the the candidates' response when asked at the forum held on October 10:
(for help in playing these files, please contact Randy Schmidt at 967-7075 x.32 or rschmidt@carolinachamber.org)

What should we do to ensure our youth are better informed of employment opportunities so that they can remain in our community?

Currently, the Town of Carrboro’s portion of the property tax is $.6537 per $100 valuation—the highest in Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Orange and Wake Counties. Is this tax rate too high? If so, what specific steps will you take to reduce it?

In a September 30th Chapel Hill News Editorial, the writer called for those in public office to take “personal responsibility for their actions not only in Town Hall but out in the community.” In your opinion, should personal actions influence who a person votes for?

Chamber Commentary:

Lydia Lavelle is an attorney who moved to the Northern Area of Carrboro in 2004. In 2005, Ms. Lavelle was a finalist for appointment to the Board after Mark Chilton’s seat was vacated. Having served on the Carrboro Planning Board, she demonstrates a detailed understanding of the development process and expresses an interest in seeing the process streamlined and the land use ordinances more clearly laid out. Ms. Lavelle’s passion for the environment is clear, though in the Chamber’s estimate, she is pragmatic in balancing that interest with expanding the commercial tax base and needs of local businesses. She is open to potentially capping the privilege license tax and expresses an interest in working with the business community to improve business success in town. Overall, Ms. Lavelle is a very attractive choice as a candidate for Alderman.