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<br />t•;r, Compton said that he feels people would accept a tax increase
<br />more readily than they would a bond issue, although 20~ tax increase
<br />might not be possible, He said that the county schools have done
<br />without a number of things that should be provided, and that they
<br />can do without for a while longer. He said that he would prefer '..
<br />that a jail be built no sooner than the county has to build it, if
<br />the choice is between providing far the criminal or for children.
<br />Atr. Riddle said that, considering the expressed needs of the County
<br />Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, the county would need to
<br />provide about $3,000,000 for projects needed by 1977-1978, which
<br />would mean an increase of $2,200,000 in tax revenues. r±r. Compton
<br />said that he feels the increase would not be that large.
<br />Airs. Garrett said that, to complete Eflar_d-Cheeks by 1977-1978, the
<br />county school system would have to receive $1,200,000 for the first
<br />two years including the base. A=r, Williams said that the majority
<br />of this could be needed the first year to let the contract.
<br />Air. Weatherly said that he would find it difficult to 'reduce the
<br />proposed needs to a bare minimum, that the Chapel Hill-Carrborc
<br />Schools could operate with one additional elementary school only,
<br />but the parents in southern Orange have expressed a wish for quality
<br />education that includes more than a bare minimum.
<br />A1r. «hitted said that for the fiscal year 1976-1977 the expressed
<br />needs have been the bulk of Efland-Cheeks financing, the Cultural
<br />Arts building at the Chapel Hill High Schaal, the annual maintenance
<br />costs, and the jail, for a total of $3,300,000, which is about :;"
<br />$2,000,000 more than the capital outlay for this fiscal year, and
<br />would mean a 37~ tax rate increase, which is an impassibility. F:e
<br />said that the above projects do not even consider social services,
<br />mental health or current expense increases.
<br />Airs. Sockwell said that it should be remembered that capital improve-
<br />ment expenses also mean an increase in current capital outlay, to
<br />provide cost of utilities and maintenance.
<br />t•1r. Pinney said that the c
<br />his first priority, and th
<br />be before November, 1976,
<br />year. He said that if the
<br />at Efland Cheeks would be
<br />unacceptable alternative.
<br />construction on a pay-as-y
<br />least 10~ in the tax rate.
<br />onstruction at Efland-Cheeks school is
<br />at the scheduling of the bond issue .cannot
<br />which is after the beginning of the fiscal
<br />bond issue failed, then the construction
<br />delayed a year,. and to him this is an
<br />He said that funding the Efland-Cheeks
<br />au-go basis would mean an increase of at
<br />ASr. Gustaveson said. that he is optimistic about the passage of a
<br />bond issue if the County Commissioners and members of both School
<br />Boards were to explain the necessity of this to the county residents.
<br />Mr. Caldwell said that the trend in North Carolina has been to say
<br />as little about a bond issue as possible, and that people are reluc-
<br />tant to accept bonds without information. He said that the necessity
<br />of a bond issue whould be explained, and that people should be inr'ormed
<br />of the lack of alternative methods o~ funding.
<br />A:r, Finney agreed that county residents should be ir_formed about the
<br />necessity of a bond issue, but he said that he feels the County
<br />Commissioners cannot gamble with capital improve~ents for one entire
<br />year on the assumption that a bond issue will pass. He said that
<br />if the funding of capital improvements would mean an increase of
<br />15~ on the tax rate, he would have to accept this.
<br />A'r, Williams said that a total of $3,444,000 is needed over the next
<br />two years for the construction of Efland-Cheeks school ($1,600';000)
<br />for operatir_g expenses of both school systems ($1,400,000) and for
<br />the cultural Arts building at chapel Hill High School .L$d44,000),
<br />and that this would be the bare minimum needed by the two school
<br />s;~stems, with additional expenses for county needs. He said that
<br />it would be nice also to have some marey to begin the first stage
<br />of construction of the county high school Cultural X1rts building,
<br />since this addition could be built in stages, although it would be
<br />more expensive to do so. A:r. Hanes said that he feels the operating
<br />expenses of both school systems would be considered at $1,600.,000
<br />for the two years.
<br />Airs, Benny said that this would strip the capital exper_ditures of
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