HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES-2006-035 Supporting State Public Education Initiatives That are Clearly & Fully Funded by Additional State Revenue^R~S - ~c.~~-o3~'
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ~ «''oG
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Resolution Supporting State Public Education Initiatives
That Are Clearly and Fully Funded by Additional State Revenue
WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners firmly believe that every
child in Orange County should have equal access to high quality public education in
a safe learning environment; and,
WHEREAS, roughly half of Orange County's annual operating budget historically
has been expended for school operating and capital purposes; and,
WHEREAS, Orange County has for the past decade consistently ranked first among
North Carolina's 100 counties in annual per pupil expenditures for school operations,
capital expenditures, and debt service; and,
WHEREAS, the average cost per square foot of new school construction has
increased by approximately 50 percent since 2003; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners believe that the State of
North Carolina's commitment to quality public education for all students should
match Orange County's commitment thereto; and
WHEREAS, the Governor's initiatives and the General Assembly's actions in recent
years to reduce average elementary class size, though laudable in intent, have
created the effect of an unfunded mandate for Orange County and counties across
North Carolina; and,
WHEREAS, the resulting reduction in effective school capacity for kindergarten
through third grades in Orange County's two public school systems leads to the
immediate need for additional school space equivalent to a new elementary school
and roughly $20 million in previously unanticipated capital construction costs;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of
Commissioners support the general principle of reduced class size and the
construction of new school space to accommodate those smaller classes, but only to
the extent that the General Assembly annually appropriates adequate operating and
capital funds to fully fund its education initiatives with revenue that is clearly new and
unambiguous in its earmarking for the operating, capital, and debt service costs
associated with mandated class size reduction.
This the 18th day of April 2006.
Orange ~ounty~rd o`~ Commissioners