HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter regarding measures to address funding shortfall for Light Rail, 9-04-18, 6-b MARK DOROSIN, CHAIR Orange County Board of Commissioners 17 gZ
R VICE CHAIR
MIA BURROUGHS Post Office Box 8181
BARRYJACOBS
MARKKMARCOPLOS 200 South Cameron Street
EARLMCKEEE Hillsborough , North Carolina 27278 � tio��'��
RENEE PRICE
September 4 , 2018
Jennifer Robinson,
Chair, GoTriangle Board of Trustees
Dear Jennifer :
I am writing in support of a corresponding letter written by Wendy Jacobs , Chair, Durham County Board of
Commissioners to reiterate Orange County ' s support for the Durham- Orange Light Rail Transit Project and to convey
to you the outcome of recent meetings to satisfy obligations as outlined in the Interlocal Agreement for Cost- Sharing
for the Project .
As you know, recent legislative action by the North Carolina General Assembly placed several limits on the Light Rail
Project . According to the legislation , the Project remains eligible for a maximum of $ 190 million provided that all
other non-federal funds for the project are committed by April 30 , 2019 , and that federal funds are committed no
later than November 30 , 2019 . The Light Rail Project will be allowed to continue through the state ' s data- driven
transportation funding prioritization process , which has twice attributed high scores to the Project . However, the
financial plan for the Project states that the State of North Carolina will contribute $247 . 6 million . Given the new
$ 190 million maximum , there is now a shortfall in the financial plan of $ 57 . 6 million .
The Cost- Sharing Agreement states that if state funds to be used for the D - O LRT Project are cancelled,
terminated, withdrawn, do not materialize , or otherwise become unavailable for the D - O LRT Project, the Parties
shall meet within fifteen business days to determine how to address the situation . On June 21 st, I met with Wendy
Jacobs , Chair of the Durham County Commissioners , Mark Marcoplos , Orange County Commissioner, and Ellen
Reckhow, Durham County Commissioner, to satisfy this obligation, and we have subsequently met to continue
discussion of how we will address the $ 57 . 6 million shortfall .
According to the Cost- Sharing Agreement, Orange County has committed $ 149 . 5 million YOE to the Project
from Dedicated Local Transit Revenues . Based on updated modeling with still conservative estimates , Durham
County ' s dedicated transit revenues are robust and sufficient to cover the revenue shortfall , and both Durham and
Orange County are in agreement on the plan to use these additional funds for this purpose .
The Durham- Orange Light Rail Transit Project connects 3 major universities , 3 major hospitals , and 3 of the top
ten employers in North Carolina, but it does more than that . It will lay the foundation for the next century of progress
in our region and it will play an essential role in North Carolina ' s continued success . For these reasons , Orange
County continues to support the Project .
Sincerely
Mark Dorosin, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners
www. orangecountync. gov
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