Orange County expands top legislative priorities to six items ahead of delegation breakfast

Orange County commissioners on March 5 reviewed and approved an amended package of legislative priorities to present to the county’s legislative delegation at the March 23 Legislative Breakfast.

Greg Wilder, Assistant to the County Manager for Legislative Affairs, presented materials developed by the Legislative Issues Work Group (LIWG). Commissioners discussed a list of 21 priority items aligned with North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) goals and the county’s strategic plan. After deliberation, the Board increased the Top 5 to a Top 6 by adding public education and accepted multiple amendments that included adding pre-K investment and opposition to vouchers under education, adding clearance of the IDD innovation waiver wait list under health services, requesting a Medicaid code for behavioral health urgent care centers, adding support for non-partisan redistricting under general government, and changing water/sewer language from seeking legislation to seeking funding.

Commissioners said the expanded document and talking points would help them convey Orange County’s local impacts to the legislature and to NCACC steering committees. Chair Jean Hamilton and Commissioner Marilyn Carter both noted the value of detailed talking points; Vice‑Chair Amy Fowler favored adding the public education emphasis because of the county’s large school-related budget share.

A motion by Chair Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner Earl McKee, to approve the amended Top 6 priorities and the full list of 21 items passed unanimously. Staff confirmed that packet materials and an eight-page talking points document will accompany the submission to the delegation.