Many thanks to P.H. Craig and the many others who have remembered Bill Friday and the Chapel Hill Museum simultaneously (CHN, Oct, 24).

Mr. Friday was a great supporter of the museum and championed preserving Chapel Hill’s history whenever possible. He and his wife Ida gladly chaired the museum’s 2003 capital campaign and they loved to share their passion for Chapel Hill’s history with the museum’s visitors as they themselves were regulars in the galleries. The Fridays were greatly disappointed to see the museum not become a town entity and shared the rest of the museum’s community’s great sadness when necessary financial assistance was not forthcoming.

I will forever treasure the personal heartfelt letter of condolence he sent me in October 2010.

As the executive director of a municipally funded museum in Alamance County for the last two years I and am thrilled to be in the midst of a community that loves its history. Many commented recently that the last great defender of Chapel Hill’s history was lost when the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill’s director left for a municipally funded museum directorship in Raleigh. While its reaffirming to know that there are cities who understand the importance of maintaining a communities character by preserving its history, our recent loss of Mr. Friday is a sad reminder of what happened to the Chapel Hill Museum. Perhaps someday we’ll have a climate in Chapel Hill that will bring P.H. Craig’s wish come true.

Traci Davenport

Mebane Historical Museum

Unselfish service

A great man is gone! But the legacy of his vision, courage, wisdom, integrity and leadership will endure as long as the University of North Carolina, which he loved with passion, continues to serve our state – and may that be forever.

As the clock in the Bell Tower overlooking the UNC campus in Chapel Hill ticks off the seconds of the days and years to come, both those who have already enjoyed the benefits of lives made richer and fuller by the life of Bill Friday and the yet unborn generations of our state will more fully appreciate the magnitude of his innumerable contributions over more than half a century of service to the cause of higher education. As they do, these benefits will be multiplied in their lives because they are inspired and motivated by Dr. Friday’s incomparable example of unselfish service to a noble cause.

There have been many heartfelt and fully justified tributes to Bill in recent weeks. Perhaps the most fitting tributes could come, not in words or memorials, but through deeds of homage and service to the principles which guided his life and made the University of Carolina the great institution it is today.

Thank you, Bill, for all you did for our state and for those who will enjoy the benefits of the University of North Carolina in the years ahead.

Long live the University of North Carolina – and long live the memory of one who gave it his unstinting love, total dedication and great leadership for more than 50 years.

W. A. Johnson

Lillington

Buses cost more

There are a couple things that should be considered between BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) and LRT (light rail transit) costs.

First, the “lower cost” of the BRT is only lower because it is using existing streets already used for cars and trucks. The money to maintain the road is not included in the cost because it comes out of a different DOT pocket.

Second, the real differences between BRT and LRT are as follows: 1. LRT has its own track or road lane, freeing up road space, and 2. LRT is electrically powered. Once an electric system is in place, these trolley-like vehicles last a very long time because they are not internal combustion, with no transmission, and no drive train. and the electric motors are easily replaced. Buses for BRT have to be entirely replaced every 10 to 20 years, the tires have to be replaced often, and you have an ongoing fuel cost, which makes them more expensive over time.

When comparing overall costs and the long life of LRT rail and train cars, LRT is the much better investment. It is also much quieter to run LRT than the current buses. Soundscape is very important in the quality of life in an area. Internal combustion diesel is very noisy. The newer buses are a bit quieter than they used to be, but not as quiet as LRT can be.

For those who are not familiar with the history of public transportation in America and why cities and towns stopped using electric trolley systems in favor of diesel buses, it should be noted that if it weren’t for political corruption of cities by the General Motors corporation, our cities would still have their electric trolley systems. The oil industry in America also had a role to play in the demise of electric vehicles.

Sarah K. McIntee

Chapel Hill

Spend and tax ideology

Again this election cycle our Orange County Board of Commissioners leaders decided that we need more new taxes to fund more public transportation. But this go-round it will include a new light rail service.

The plan draft dated May 11, 2012, includes three new taxes: sales, auto registration, and auto rental. In addition, the sales tax the commissioners will be looking to the state and federal governments for funding to support this project. State government is required by law to have a balanced budget; therefore, to fund this project the legislature would have to reduce or element spending in other areas or raise taxes across the state. As for funds from the federal treasury, I hope that most people know that the federal government is out of money and we have a $16 trillion-plus debt. For every dollar the federal government spends 40-plus percent is borrowed money; try managing your business or personal finances that way and see how long it takes you to go belly-up financially.

Section V of this draft projects first-year revenues from these taxes to be $7.6 million. This is money that will be taken out of the private sector. Revenues from rider fare are estimated to be 2.2 percent of the total operating expense (Appendix A). Therefore, this will be an ongoing tax burden on all county residents to provide a transportation service that will benefit only a few at the expense of many.

I hope you agree that we cannot afford this luxury and that we need to put a stop to this spend-and-tax ideology that the current and past Board of Commissioners members have. Therefore, I’m voting NO on this tax and I’m supporting and voting for the following for the Board of Commissioners: Mary Carter, at-large, and Chris Weaver, District 2. They will bring fiscal responsibility to county government. I urge the people of Orange County to do the same.

Roy Loflin

Mebane

Foushee for House

My wife and I are writing to voice our enthusiastic support for Valerie Foushee for N.C. House District 50. Valerie has the proven experience that is so important in these difficult times. She balanced budgets as a city administrator. She demonstrated leadership on the Chapel Hill Carrboro School Board where she was a strong advocate for educational excellence for all students. As an Orange County commissioner, Valerie helped maintain funding for schools, social services, and public safety, while encouraging future economic development.

Let’s elect Valerie Foushee as a continuing force for positive change in the N.C. House.

Greg and Karen McElveen

Chapel Hill