My name is Neal Bench.  I’m a Chapel Hill resident.

First I’d like to say that I’m really impressed with all the research and information that all the previous speakers have given.  I think there’s some really good information in there to take hold of.

I just have a couple of questions that I’ll ask of you guys, but I’ll answer them.  [Audience laughter]

1.) At the present time, can the County meet all of its needs?  Of course, the answer is no.  You just had a bond referendum.  $ 120 million for schools and that didn’t even meet half of the estimated school needs.

2.) Is there a plan to meet those needs?  That’s a question I don’t have an answer for.  We have park needs.  We have senior needs.  We have affordable housing needs.  Finances are tough to come by.  There is no question about that.

I voted for the transit tax.  I ride transit, but I must admit that my hope in voting for that transit tax ... knowing that part of it would go to rail, but the hope is that there would be a significant improvement in bus service.  With rail ... as I’ve heard ... taking upwards of 93% of that tax ... in that range.  That doesn’t leave much money for significant improvements in buses.  Certainly there will be some improvements but nothing that would really be overly noticeable.

The construction cost of DOLRT is a big number, $ 2.5B.  There is no question about that.  Odds are that either the DOLRT project will cost more than that  .. Or, less than what is currently stated will be built ... if the $ 2.5B target is met.  But, that’s just a guess.

3.) The big question of the day is “Are the operating cost estimates certain?”  The answer is obviously no.  Forecasts are only one thing.  They're wrong at all times.  You hope your revenue estimates are low.  You hope your cost estimates are high, but we’ve seen otherwise many times. 

4.) If the operating costs (not the construction costs) exceed what’s available in the transit tax revenues, who picks up that extra?  It’s the county or local.  I don’t see the state jumping in to help.

If we can’t currently meet the needs of our residents in Orange County, and the transit starts eating into our current revenues, I’d say the needs will be much harder to meet.

I would really like to see this DOLRT project discontinued at the present time and move on to more effective flexible transit possibilities.

Thank you.