For Hall 

Rather than support candidate Larry Hall, who supports partner benefits and adoption rights and fought in Raleigh against payday lending and the death penalty, your otherwise valuable endorsement issue encourages citizens in Southwestern Durham to vote for Sandy Ogburn. Ogburn’s positions read well on paper, yet when Ogburn and I served on the Durham City Council there were frequent 8-5 split votes that pitted a majority of progressives and moderates prevailing over Ogburn and the Republicans.

Ogburn wants a regressive sales tax that will hit bus riders hardest to pay for the transit services that Durham needs. Ogburn also voted for the more regressive formula to pay for Durham’s stormwater services when she served on city council. Folks with McMansions and tennis courts pay less year after year at the expense of average homeowners and renters, largely thanks to Ogburn.

Two of Ogburn’s supporters confirmed for me that her biggest weakness is a personality that is abrasive and alienating. In the General Assembly Durham need folks like Hall who provide tough leadership and build winning teams.

Hall served as a U.S. Marine infantry officer, has been an aggressive and progressive leader at the local and state level, and has the endorsement of the Triangle Labor Council, the state AFL-CIO, the Police Benevolent Association and the Durham People’s Alliance.

I like the rest of your endorsements, but my experience with Ogburn tells me you’ll regret that one.

Frank Hyman
Durham