Durham People's Alliance backs prepared-food tax

ALLIANCE ENDORSES MEALS TAX: The Durham People's Alliance has endorsed Durham County's proposed 1 percent prepared-food tax, along with a full slate of candidates in the Nov. 4 general election.

According to an announcement from the group, the tax endorsement came after "a well-informed and spirited debate" on its effect on private citizens and local government budgets.

Most of the tax receipts would come from restaurant meals. By law, the revenue may be used only for recreational and cultural facilities, marketing, beautification and work force training.

The People's Alliance also re-endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and voted to support Democrats Bev Perdue for governor, Kay Hagan for U.S. Senate, David Price for Congress and Bob Atwater, Floyd McKissick, Larry Hall, Paul Luebke and H.M. "Mickey" Michaux for re-election to their seats in the legislature.

REPLACING THORPE: Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy says he hopes the Town Council will name a replacement for Bill Thorpe by mid-November.

Thorpe died Sept. 27 while serving his third term as a council member.

The council has the authority to appoint a replacement after making a call for applicants. Foy said the council will likely seek a black person to replace Thorpe, who was the board's only black member.

"My sense is that, without Bill's voice on the council, we lose really a strong connection with a segment of our community," Foy said.

DURHAM COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS: The political committee of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People is inviting candidates in the Nov. 4 election to come for interviews next week. Interviews last 30 minutes each and are being held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the committee office, 321 E. Chapel Hill St. Candidates seeking the committee's endorsement may call its office at 530-1100 or Chester Jenkins, chairman of the political committee, at 688-1682 for appointments.

The committee will choose the candidates it will endorse next Saturday and will hold a mass rally for its candidates Oct. 12 at a location to be announced.

BENEFIT FOR OBAMA: Flywheel Design, 111 W. Parrish St. in downtown Durham, will hold a benefit for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday. There will be live music, company artwork and free beer.

PANEL ON TAX: The Durham Chamber of Commerce will hold a panel on behalf of the proposed 1 percent prepared-food tax at its monthly Membership Matters breakfast Tuesday at the Durham Civic Center, 201 Foster St.

The public may attend. Panelists represent interests that would benefit from the tax, designated for cultural and recreational amenities.

Admission is $25 for chamber members and $40 for nonmembers.

To register, see www.durhamchamber.org.

POLITICAL TRAIL

The N.C. Association of Teen Democrats will hold its Fall Rally at 11 a.m. next Saturday at Democratic Party headquarters, 220 Hillsborough St., Raleigh. The cost is $5 for lunch. Democrats ages 13 to 19 and their advisers will hear from candidates and elected officials.

For more information, contact Susan Oller at 786-4447 or soller@ncdp.org.