Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 20060601APPROVED 8/22/2006 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING June 1, 2006 The Orange Caunty Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, June 1, 2QQ6 at 7:3Q p.m. at the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The purpose of this meeting was to hold a public hearing on the County Manager's recommended 2QQ6-2QQ7 budget. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners Moses Carey, Jr., Valerie P. Foushee, Alice M. Gordon, and Stephen H. Halkiotis COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager Jahn M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Managers Rod Visser and Gwen Harvey and Clerk to the Board Donna S. Baker (All other staff members will be identified appropriately below) NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. 1. Opening Remarks- Chair Chair Jacobs said that this would be the last budget cycle for three members of County government: Commissioner Halkiotis, John Link, and Rod Visser. On behalf of this Board, he thanked them. 2. Presentation of Manager's Recommended FY 2006-07 Budget Chair Jacobs said that the Manager made recommendations, then they have public hearings and then budget work sessions. He reviewed what would be on each agenda. Commissioner Carey asked for additional information and for a line that says what the increase is over last year's school budget so that it is put in context. Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to page 5 of the hand out and verified with John Link that to fully fund both school requests would cause a 16-cent increase in taxes. 2 Manager's Recommended Budget Fiscal Year 2006-07 Orange County, NC June 1, 2006 Public Hearing Achievements • Long-term commitment to enhancing quality of life far citizens - One of the highest per pupil expenditures in the State - Almost one-third of a billion dollars dedicated to construction and renovation of schools since 1988 - Master Aging Plan that provides along-term strategic plan for offering services to our senior population - Construction of state of the art senior centers - Affordable Housing opportunities for families and individuals who otherwise could not afford to live in Orange County • Lands Legacy program has protected just over 1700 acres • Progressive partnerships with Towns and neighboring Counties to provide park, recreational and library services to citizens in all areas of the County Fiscal Year 2006-07 Budget Briefs General Fund Budget totals $164.7 million - Original fiscal year 2QQ5-06 budget totaled $149.9 million - Recommendation represents a 9.9 percent increase over 2005-06 original budget • Countywide ad Val Orem tax rate of 91.3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation - Increase of 7 cents over the 2005-06 rate of 84.3 cents - One cent on the property tax rate should generate $1,207,023 in upcoming fiscal year General Fund Revenues (chart) Revenue Highlights Lottery Proceeds • Change in environment regarding the likelihood that counties will likely receive lottery proceeds next year • Recommended budget anticipates receipt of $2.4 million in Lottery Proceeds • Earmarked for school construction and school-related debt service • As lottery revenue stream becomes more established and predictable Board may wish to update its May 2005 capital funding policy Education Funding Overview • Overall funding far bath School districts totals $79.8 million - 48.4 percent of total General Fund appropriations -Increase of $7.6 million from fiscal year 2005-06 approved budget for operations and capital Education Funding Current Expense • Total current expense funding equals $53.8 million - Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools - $33.1 million (increase of $2,748,390} - Orange County Schools - $20.7 million (increase of $1,064,058} Per pupil appropriation totals $2,957 - Reflects an increase of $161 for each of the 18,192 students projected for next year • Increase is sufficient to cover cost of Governor's most recent pay plan that provides an 8 percent pay increase for teachers and certified staff Per Pupil Allocations to Each District State Mandated Funding Formula (table) Education Funding Observation • Based on higher per pupil increase request by OCS of $746, full funding of both school system requests equates to another 8 to 9 cents on tax rate beyond the 7 cents recommended by the County Manager. Fair Funding for Schools Reserve $800,000 Reserve provides Commissioners with same flexibility to consider providing additional resources to both school districts - E.g. should County pick up costs for school resource officers now paid by schools Consistent with Manager's suggestion during last year's budget process that the Boards consider a new paradigm for funding - Boards of Education and Commissioners agreed to consider funding outside the per pupil formula on health and safety related functions - Fair Funding Work Group established jointly by Commissioners and Boards of Education in April 2006 ^ Group meeting in May and June, passible recommendations pending 4 • In light of continuing Fair Funding discussions, recommending that Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools District Tax remain at current rate of 18.34 cents per $100 valuation Debt Service • Net increase amounts to $3.7 million - Equivalent of 3 cents on the countywide property tax rate • Between last year at this time and next year at this time, County will have issued $92.6 million in new debt for school and County projects Debt Funded Projects {table) Human Services • Mental Health - Statewide reform remains troubling and complex - Recommendation includes $1.294 million in base funding - Commissioners may choose to use safety net funds to ensure that local programs remain viable • Medicaid - Recommended funding level remains at fiscal year 2005-06 level of $4,024,800 - Outlook for State offering Medicaid relief for counties in fiscal year 2006-07 still unclear Employee Pay and Benefits • 2.5 percent Cost of Living Increase for all permanent County employees - Effective July 1, 2006 • 2.5 percent In-Range Salary Increase linked to employee performance • Increase in Living Wage from $9.34 per hour to $9.67 New Staff Prapasals • Environmental Health Inspectors to inspect public eating establishments and privately owned alternative wastewater treatment systems and ensure they meet public health requirements • Paramedics and 911 Telecommunicators to answer the increased number of critical calls • Assistant Fire Marshal to investigate fire origins and review fire plans for high risk facilities such as child and adult care facilities • Administrative Assistant position in Purchasing to free up time for Purchasing and Central Services Director to spend expediting County capital projects • Social Worker to provide case management for increasing number of frail, elderly, or disabled adults who choose to remain in their homes instead of being placed in adult care facilities • Additional changes, such as increases in hours or changes in funding sources, recommended for other existing positions 5 Reserve Funding • Court Operations Relocation - $400,000 • Critical NeedslSafety Net - $275,000 - To be combined with $225,000 anticipated carry forward from current fiscal year • Downtown Campus Parking - $150,000 • Fair Funding for Schools - $800,000 • Fire and Rescue Study Outcome - $100,000 • Public Works Custodial Strategic Plan - $50,000 • Senior Center Openings - $66,050 • SportsPlex - $700,000 • Water Resources Initiative - $75,000 Solid Waste Enterprise Fund • New C&D landfill opens soon • Planning for shift from landfilling to transfer station when capacity reached in 2010 • 3R fee implemented in 2004-05 has stabilized Solid Waste Fund financials • Recommend modest increases in 3R fee far 2006-07 to reduce that subsidy to about $400,000 Document Availability • Orange County Budget Office - 208 South Cameron Street, Hillsborough • Clerk to the Board - 200 South Cameron Street, Hillsborough • Public Libraries in Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Cedar Grove • County's website - www.co.orange.nc.us Budget Schedule • Public Hearings - May 30, Southern Human Services Center, Homestead Road, Chapel Hill - June 1, F. Gordon Battle Courtroom, 106 Margaret Lane, Hillsborough • Budget Work Sessions - {all meetings, except for June 19, at Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill; June 19 at GSC) • June 5 -Southern Human Services Center • June 8 -Southern Human Services Center • June 15 -Southern Human Services Center • June 19 -Government Services Center • June 22 -Southern Human Services Center • June 27 (adoption) -Southern Human Services Center 6 3. Public Comment Joyce Kuhn, Director of Pre-Trial Services said that this program assists the Clerk of Court and on bond matters and the State has supported this. She thanked the County Commissioners for their local support. Bob Schriever read a prepared statement. "The Chapel Hill Public Library Board of Trustees is happy to represent the Chapel Hill Town Council this evening. We thank you for your budgetary support, for the library studies and planning that you have encouraged, and for the clear messages that libraries are important. Your continuing support of the Chapel Hill Public Library ensures quality library services for a large proportion of the citizens of Orange County who use the CHPL even though they live elsewhere in the County (45°I° of registered borrowers}. The final report of the Orange County Library Services Task Force in 2004 recognized that the population of the County as a whole values education and is supportive of library services. The task force recommends a number of improvements in Orange County library services, which we endorse. Among the many good recommendations is recognition of the Chapel Hill Public Library `as a significant partner in the provision of library services to the County.' We believe that support for all public libraries in Orange County is not on par with support for the schools and that Orange County support for the Chapel Hill Public Library is not proportional to the level of use by Orange County residents who live outside Chapel Hill. We appreciate your past responsiveness. Sustained and increased funding for libraries is key to preserving Orange County's educational excellence. The Chapel Hill Public Library is embarking on a significant building expansion project as a result of a $16.3 million band referendum that Chapel Hill citizens voted for by a margin of 3-1. The Chapel Hill Town Council is also actively working towards improved library services and has included a second children's librarian in its proposed budget for 2006-07. Chapel Hill Public Library has the highest per capita circulation in the state, and it needs more books. The modest goal is 4 books per capita, an increase from the current 2.7 books. Much of the support from the County in the past has gone to the book budget and the book processing costs necessary to get the books on the shelves and maintain them in good repair. The CHPL would like to add as many as 9,300 more books that the present facility could hold with modest shelf extensions. We request that the County increase the amount it has been providing to the Chapel Hill Public Library by 4°lo in the 2006-07 year. Thank you far your continued support for libraries and education in Orange County." Karl Knapp has two children in McDougle Elementary and Middle Schools in CHCCS. He asked the County Commissioners to raise his taxes to pay far his children's education. He said that the per pupil increase recommended for this year is not adequate for the schools, it barely covers the mandatory cost increases that both systems are facing, does not provide money to open the new schools, and it provides no funds for improving the quality of education without cutting into the existing services of the schools. He works as a State employee in Raleigh and he chooses to suffer the I-40 commute every day in order to have a community behind him supporting his kids with education, a community that is willing to spend money on education in the same way that he is. He is willing to back up the commitment to education with money by paying higher taxes. Annie Cramer spoke in support of fully funding the CHCCS's budget and the world language teachers in particular. She said that the school system has proposed to cut $50,000 worth of funding for cultural art supplies. She said that the two teachers that teach world language at Seawell Elementary provide so many benefits to the students. She said that they serve as vital links to their Hispanic community. She said that statistics predict that in Orange 7 County, like the rest of America, the HispaniclLatino population will continue to grow. The students will need to became even mare proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish than ever. She understands that the Board cannot do anything about the allocations, but when she looks at the Fair Funding Reserve and the Mental Health allocations, she thinks how much they could save later in these areas by investing in the children's future today. Trish Hussey, Director of Freedom House Recovery Center in Chapel Hill, said that they have been providing services to people that are suffering from the disease of addiction. She said that this past year they worked with the Criminal Justice Partnership Program in Orange and Chatham Counties and they were asked to consider becoming a resource center. Shortly after writing the grant, the legislature chose to make a cut in money coming to Orange County and she thanked the Board and Manager for recommending the increase in their local support. She encouraged the Board to approve the Manager's recommendation. Jennifer Roth is the parent of two elementary-aged children in CHCCS. She said that she and her husband were drawn to the school system because of the many exceptional programs, including world languages and gifted services offered. Significant cuts are being considered that will have a dramatic impact on the quality of these programs. She urged the County Commissioners to consider the impact that this will have on the children. She said that the world language program serves as a made) for the entire country and was recognized because of its continued effort to provide quality instruction to the students. This model could be seriously compromised if the number of teachers is reduced. She spoke in support of full funding for CHCCS. Andie Young is the Vice President of Programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle. This program provides one on one mentoring services for kids between 6-14 who reside in Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties. Their services are provided through a community-based program with volunteers interacting eight hours a month with a child. The other program is the school-based program where volunteers enter an elementary school system to mentor a child for an hour a week. All of their volunteers are trained and screened, and have ongoing support. She thanked the Board of County Commissioners and said that she appreciates the Manager's recommendation. Kathy MacKinnon is a world language teacher in Chapel Hill. She said that she was happy with the outcome of last year's budget process, as she was able to continue working full time as an elementary world language teacher. She said that she is trying not to become too discouraged about the possibility of cuts to the program. She expressed concern since critical programs are in jeopardy of receiving cuts that would have a detrimental effect and cause reductions in staffing. She realizes that the County Commissioners will not make decisions about her program, but she asked that they give the CHCCS every possible consideration to fully fund the budget request. She said that, in a world that is becoming increasingly multi- lingual, this would be an unfortunate time to cut language programs that serve elementary school children. Mitch Cox said that he has been a teacher in OCS for 24 years and a citizen of Orange County. He is grateful for past support of the Board of County Commissioners for education in Orange County. He encouraged the County Commissioners to consider the funding request for bath school systems. He knows that OCS has encumbered current funds to upgrade its middle schools during the construction of the third middle school. As a longtime faculty member at Orange High School, he can attest to the problems that the facility faces because it was not fully upgraded at the time of the construction of Cedar Ridge. The problems and costs associated with the decline of the facilities at Orange High School have multiplied since Cedar Ridge was constructed. He urged the County Commissioners to support the budgets of the school systems so that the County can ensure equity for all of the County's children. Gary Wallach said that he shares the sentiments of other speakers of the hard work that the Board of County Commissioners do and he is in support of both school systems. He said R that if the pay raises go through, the CHCCS district will be down $2.2 million and possible cuts could include four middle school teaching positions, classified pay, custodians, clerical positions, character education supplies, new teacher vouchers, etc. He said that the Board says that it does not make the cuts, but it does set the budget caps and farce the cuts. He suggested that the Board show the school systems where the fat is in the budgets. He made reference to John Link's statement that Orange County has the highest per pupil expenditure rates in the State, but since North Carolina rates in the lower one-third of all states in the nation on per pupil expenditures, then it is not much to be proud of. He said that after the other night's hearing, he spoke with Chair Jacobs, who voiced his concern about potential reduced budgets as well as his concern for people of law incomes who may not be able to afford a tax increase to cover the costs involved in educating children and providing for the other needs of the County. He hopes that the County Commissioners will make the right decision. Hervey McIver is Co-Chair of the Orange County Commission for the Environment. He said that since 1981, when Orange County became the first in North Carolina to start watershed protection, the County Commissioners have been very proactive in protecting water resources. He commended them. He asked them to adopt the water resources initiative and fund the position of a Hydrologist. He listed the goals of the water resources initiative. He said that the Hydrologist should serve in anon-regulatory capacity and should be housed in ERCD. Another duty of the Hydrologist would be that of an educator in educating people about water conservation, including those an wells. He urged the County Commissioners to support this position in ERCD. Don Cox also spoke in support of the water resources initiative. He said that the original purposes of the Water Resources Task Force were to address the potential overdevelopment of the groundwater resource and sub-basin in the County, which could lead to a supply failure, and calls to the County or municipalities to extend water lines to amend this situation. The task force recommendations were made and he does not know of any follow up evaluations. He said that the other great need is to know the accurate status of groundwater supplies in the County, which can only be done by regularly reading the levels of test wells to determine the need to advise people about pending well failures. He said that this water resources position is needed. He also said that this position could be non-regulatory. John Idol represented the Friends of the Orange County Public Library and he presented a petition signed by 400 citizens. He said that they would like a library that would meet the needs of citizens and also be the pride of the County. He asked the County Commissioners to consider fixing the present facility or building a new library facility. Becky Carver, Executive Director of Cornucopia House Cancer Support Center, said that this is the first year that the County Manager's budget has included a request for funding far Cornucopia House. She said that they plan to use the money wisely. She made reference to the most recent newsletter. This house provides services free of charge to anyone touched by cancer -patients, families, friends, caregivers, etc. They also da not care where people live. Their services are free of charge and their services are far anyone on life's journey and are not like Hospice. They help people experience wellness despite illness. She said that they have many programs that help people manage stress with a very expensive and challenging disease. Some examples include a resource center, massage therapy, yoga classes, educational forums, and expressive arts programming. Everett Kennedy said that he would like to talk on behalf of those on fixed incomes. He said that taxes keep going up and there has to be a place to stop. He yielded the remainder of his time to Ben Lloyd. Ben Lloyd said that he has heard all of his life that there are two worlds in Orange County. In yesterday's paper, the Durham Herald had a story about Joe Capowski, a former member of the Chapel Hill Tawn Board who moved into his house 20 years ago in Chapel Hill. His property tax has increased over 500°~ in 20 years. He said that Joe Capowski was pleading 9 for fiscal sanity in Orange County. He has no problem with the tax increase proponents, but he thinks that they ought to consider themselves in some other people's shoes that are struggling to survive. He has four sisters retired from the public school system in North Carolina and four grandchildren in the school system today. He wants as much education as the taxpayers can afford to pay for. He said that these tax increases proposed are unacceptable to most of the people in middle and northern Orange County. This was proven by a vote on the district tax, where 78% voted it down. He said that the commercial tax base in Wake County is 29°l0, in Mecklenburg it is 35°~, in Guilford it is 35%, in Durham it is 44°~, in Orange it is 13.6%. He said that only 60% of the people in this County are employed here. He said that there is a strategic position that has been proposed and Orange County is proposing to create 5,000 new commercial jobs and 125 new commercial tax bases. He said that Orange County has created an image for itself and they will probably have a hard time getting it done. He said that young people are being moved out of the County because they cannot afford to live here. He said that he is a farmer and he is going to have to start selling property in order to pay taxes. He said that retired people on fixed incomes are living in fear of getting moved out of their homes. He said that his father taught him to always live within your means and prepare for a rainy day. He said that he heard someone say that a government that is big enough to do all things for all people is big enough to take away everything you have. There are a lot of people in Orange County that believe that this is going on here. Jessica Lee is Chairperson for the Orange County Board of Health. She focused on three core public health points: emergency preparedness, food, and water. She made reference to the Volunteer Coordinator far the Citizens Volunteer Corps. This was set up a few years ago by a federal grant to try and establish a group of people to be trained in case of any kind of public health emergency. The funding will run out in January 2007. She asked the County Commissioners to recommend continuing this position. The second issue is food and lodging. Currently, 24°l0 of the restaurants in Orange County fall below the A rating and they are unable to work with the restaurants to get them above the rating. There are over 3,000 restaurants in Orange County that must be inspected every year. She asked for an increase in this position. Lastly, she spoke in support of the Environmental Health Specialist. This person works with the community and general public with their well system. At this time, the department cannot keep up with the increasing demand of inspecting the well systems. She asked the County Commissioners to fund these positions. Tish Martin spoke on behalf of her husband, President of CHCCS Association of Educators. She thanked the County Commissioners for past support of funding the school systems and commended them for their foresight to seek new funding options of funding outside the per pupil. She asked for full funding of the CHCCS budget and the increase in the school district tax. She said that the lottery proceeds are not guaranteed and that they should not count on this. She said that school funding is too important not to fund by a sure method. If there is funding from the lottery, it should be spent only after it has been deposited. Marty Mandell said that there is a cartoon in the Durham Herald this morning with the message that so many people are being attacked by rising costs from so many different directions. She said that North Carolina desperately needs more teachers. The emphasis is not getting teachers but keeping them. She said that she has never heard a comparison of either school system on how much money goes to administrative costs versus boosting teachers' salaries. She thinks that the County Commissioners should require this information. She read the lowest and highest paid people in municipal government in Orange County. She said that Orange County's median income is $71,000 and that the per capita income is $34,000. She said that the distance between the lower and upper incomes is absolutely out of hand in the world. She said that the idea that someone could make $4 million in a health service boggles her mind. She asked about the SAPFO and said that she would like a report on this. She asked if this was keeping costs down. She also has not heard a report on expanding the water 10 supply or transportation. She thought that the goal was to hook all of these things up to building permits sa that it could be controlled. She thinks that this Board of County Commissioners is the most progressive board in North Carolina. She requested that the County Commissioners appoint a committee to go through all of the administrative costs and see what can be combined and reduced. She said that she uses all of the libraries in the County, but each one has a separate administration. Sonda Oppewal is a registered nurse and she spoke in support of the Orange County Public Health Reserve Corps and the coordinator pasition. She has been a volunteer since the organization started. She said that funds from the federal grant will end in a few months and she has concerns about how well the Caunty can respond in a time of disaster. There are currently about 200 volunteers. She said that preparedness could often mean the difference between life and death. Jamie Daniel is a candidate far County Commissioner in November. He thanked the Manager and the staff for a good budget. He has three kids in OCS and he would like to see as much education as they can afford. He said that he is concerned as a father and as a citizen in Orange County. He has seen some school board members advocating for raising the property taxes. He said that Orange County voted not to have a district tax so he encouraged the Board to draft a letter to each member of the Boards of Education and ask them if they want the County Commissioners to raise property taxes by `x' cents to fully fund the budget and ask for a roll call vote. Arek Kempinski read a prepared statement from him and his wife. "Good evening. My name is Arek Kempinski and I am here tonight to read a statement that represents the thoughts of bath my wife, Michelle Kempinski and myself. She would be here tonight but is currently at a Planning Board meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Subcommittee. Thank you far this opportunity to speak to you tonight about an issue that currently represents the crossroads of 2 of the County's critical and equally finite resources....the budget and our water supply. We appreciate the fact, that in the coming weeks and months, you will need to critically evaluate and prioritize the many potentially competing requests to fund additional staff positions and projects. You will receive more funding requests than the County has the budget to allow. With that, we'll get to the paint. We understand that the Commission for the Environment and the Environment and Resource Conservation Department are requesting that the BOCC fund a water resources staff position. It is intended that this staff person would have the technical expertise and the responsibility to develop, implement, and evaluate the County's sustainable water resources programs and policies. We would simply like to show our support for this request to fund a technical staff position within the Environment and Resource Conservation Department. We feel that since the ERCD has been charged with the responsibility to "oversee, implement, and coordinate County goals for environmental protection and conservation" that the ERCD is the appropriate place for this staff pasition. A qualified hydro-geologist is needed to effectively advise, implement, and coordinate the environmental programs and policies supporting the County's current goals of sustainable growth and development and water resources preservation. We understand that this staffing request comes as a follow-up to the recommendations contained in the 2001 Report of the Water Resources Initiative, and the 2002 and 2004 Commission for the Environment -State of the Environment Reports. We would encourage the County to take the next steps toward implementing the water protection and preservation recommendations contained in these reports. There is a direct connection between the Caunty land development patterns and the sustainability of our water resources. Groundwater and surface water are critical and finite environmental resources in this county, and their sustainability is an issue that potentially affects 11 every person that lives and works in Orange County. It is important that there is a clear scientific and technical understanding of this interrelationship as the County proceeds to develop the long-term future policies and programs of the Land Use and Natural and Cultural Systems Elements of the Comprehensive Plan." Gayanne Chambless said that she voted against the district tax for OCS and she did so because it was not going to fix the problem. However, she is in support of paying more taxes and she is living off of a single income. She understands what Mr. Lloyd is saying, but she is willing to make the sacrifices that are necessary. She knows that the County Commissioners are not in charge of what gets funded, but if they were, she would like to fund the AVID program because the dropout rate is going up and 44°~ of the dropout rate occurs at the 9`" grade level. According to the statistics, 80% of the students who drop out end up in prison. She said that the AVID program would help. She said that to cover the mandates, OCS needs $1,618,970. What was recommended this year was $1,064,000. The difference is $554,912, which is $79 per pupil and 21 cents a day. She is willing to pay this. She said that if OCS had been granted last year what was requested, they would not have had to go into their fund balance. She said that what OCS is asking for this year is based on what they did not get last year, which was based on what they did not get the year before, etc. Rosetta Wash was representing the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross. She asked the County Commissioners to consider adding the American Red Cross Disaster Services Program to this year's budget. The request is far $5,000 and will be used to provide emergency assistance for families and single citizens who are displaced from their homes due to house fires, floods, hurricanes, and other such emergencies. They provide food, clothing, shelter, and mental health counseling. This fiscal year, they have responded to over 20single-family fires and they have assisted over 56 people at the cost of nearly $30,000. They are also obligated by the Orange County Multi-Hazard Plan and the American Red Crass to be prepared to open mass shelters in the County during a countywide disaster. She said that they need an additional $5,000 for the Disaster Services Program. Evelyn Daniel -not here. Brandon Rector -not here. Delores Bailey is the Executive Director of EmPOWERment, Inc. She read a letter from the five non-profits, which include Affordable Rentals, Inc., EmPOWERment, Inc., Orange Community Housing and Land Trust, Chrysalis Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity. She said that they want to express their gratitude that their proposal for creating a professional property management position is included in the County Manager's budget. The proposal was supported by the Town of Chapel Hill in its budget and they have received encouragement from the Tawn of Carrboro also. She asked the County Commissioners for support of this position. She believes that this position will allow them to add more affordable rental units to the current housing stock. Vern Miller said that he is from Caldwell and he does not want the County Commissioners to raise his taxes. He is a firm believer that he should be allowed to live in this County, but he does not think that he should be required to have asix-year college education or an upper five orsix-figure salary to be able to live in this County. He does not see anything wrong with being a mechanic, a carpenter, a farmer, a fireman, ar a policeman. He thinks that these people should be able to buy their own homes and not be taxed out of the County. Caldwell is adjacent to Person, Caswell, and Alamance Counties and people are going to these other counties because they cannot afford to pay the taxes in Orange County. He said that he wants to be reasonable about the tax and he wants his daughter to be able to live in this County if she wants to without having to go to great measures if she so chooses. He thinks that this is not an unreasonable request. Homer Davis said that he has been a resident of Orange County for 81 years and he worked in public service for 43 years, and he had to be accountable every month for the 12 financial statement. He is in sympathy for all who spoke tonight. He was supposed to retire in 1990, but he is still working. He said that he meets with a lot of old people every morning and all he hears is taxes. He and his wife live on a fixed income of less than $25,000 a year. He asked John Link to publish the County income versus the budget. He said that he recently heard that the County was in the land buying business. He wanders if this is true. Chair Jacobs said that the County's income is in the budget document. Oscar Compton made reference to an article that bothered him. He has been in Orange County for 72 years and served on the school board for 12 years and 6 years as chairman. He said that he is very familiar with want and need. He said that he does not think that they can afford a lot of the things that are supposedly needs. He said that when John Link came up with a 7-cent increase, that was reasonable, but 16 cents is not reasonable. He said that one of his daughters works far the Department of Commerce in Raleigh bringing industry and tourism to the State. When he bought a trailer park in Yanceyville he asked her to bring same industry out there and she said that you couldn't bring industry to Orange and Caswell Counties because they are the two highest tax counties in the state. He said that they need to separate need from want. Robert Nichols lives in Cedar Grove and is a retired dairy farmer. He is 78 years old. He said that he has spent all of his life in Orange County except for the five years he was in the Navy and college. He said that he built his house 37 years ago at a cost of $25,440 and today this same house is valued at aver $200,000. He says that this is a big increase in this number of years. He pays taxes, but he also lives on Social Security and some savings. His Social Security is $852.50 a month and his wife also gets Social Security and they live on this. He has 172 acres of land that he wants to live on and not develop, and his County taxes were around $3,000 this year. The maximum amount that he can get for rent out of his property is $2,500. He said that he has bills to pay and he would still like to live in Orange County and he would like to keep the land, but he may have to sell it. This is happening to a lot of senior citizens in Orange County. He said that he voted against the district tax referendum. He said that the County is so educated now that they have to import people to do laborers work. He said that the reasonable thing is to go to the legislature and go upon the sales tax to fund the schools. He estimates that at least 35°I° of the people in Orange County do not own property and so the property owners have to pay for everything. He said that everybody ought to have to pay and the sales tax would be the answer. 4. Adjournment A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to adjourn the meeting at 9:18 p.rn. VOTE: UNANIMOUS Barry Jacobs, Chair Donna S. Baker, CMC Clerk to the Board