Gordon to run for re-election in District 1

Orange County commissioner Alice Gordon announced she would seek another term on the board. She will run in District 1. Two years ago, the board expanded from five to seven members and added district representation. District 1 represents the heavily populated southern third of the county, closely mirroring (though not exactly) the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district.
Here’s Gordon’s official statment:

Today Alice Gordon announced her re-election campaign for Orange County Commissioner in District 1, representing the Chapel Hill and Carrboro area.

She said she is running because she would like to build on her contributions to county government, and cited environmental advocacy, regional transportation, and school excellence as three areas in which she has made a difference.

She will work on these and other county issues in a fiscally responsible way and strive to maintain important county services that support our core values, while recognizing that the county has significant budget constraints. The county must increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations, and strive to streamline county services to reduce expenses.

Commissioner Gordon is a dedicated advocate for our environment. To date, the county’s award-winning “Lands Legacy” resource conservation program, which she was instrumental in creating, has protected over 2500 acres, including land for parks, farmland preservation, and protection of our water and other natural resources. Her focus now will be the wise use of our water resources, so that we have clean water that is fairly allocated. She will also work for the completion of planned recreation and park facilities when financially possible.

As chair of both the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro metropolitan transportation planning organization and Triangle Transit, she has
advocated for improving public transit in the region. The TTA bus route between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, which she helped to develop, is one of Triangle Transit’s most successful routes. Recently she helped lead the effort to create the award winning regional long range transportation plan for the Triangle, which has received national recognition. In the future she will continue this work to promote effective public transit, and other efforts to achieve clear air and energy efficiency. This work on transportation will
also complement her other efforts on behalf of our older and younger residents.

Commissioner Gordon will continue her strong commitment to excellent schools. She supports the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO), and also believes that more attention should be directed to improving older school facilities. She believes the most pressing public education issue is to continue school excellence in a climate of scarce resources, and she supports our public libraries and their role in life long learning.

She will encourage and support green businesses for the county, “Buy Local” efforts, and sustainable development, building on the county’s assets as a great place to live. She believes that working for a vibrant economy in a socially and environmentally responsible way is an important part of her job as a commissioner.