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<br />Discussion ensued concerning the recommendation of Commissioner Walker.
<br />Chairman Whitted stated that the budget message proposal of seven cents tax
<br />increase centered around the school bond issue and the County's capital
<br />outlay program. In effect, the seven cents would be put in the capital out-
<br />lay for the County this year to get it out of the way, so that next year, '
<br />when the bonds become due that seven cents can be used to pay off the bonds.
<br />If we do not allocate that seven cents to the Capital Outlay this year, you
<br />are essentially saying that next year when the bonds become due, and the
<br />year after that, whatever amount you use to put into current programs, you
<br />will have to make up with the tax rate. Whatever extent you dig into the
<br />Building Fund, that will have to be provided next year.
<br />Commissioner Gustaveson stated that the County had worked for a long
<br />period to get tv this point and that the County should follow through and
<br />make sure those funds in the Building Fund are kept for the purpose of
<br />the County's facilities. He stated that he felt if the Board was not
<br />willing to shave the budget that they should be willing to "bite the bullet"
<br />in terms of additional taxes. If $353 is a consensus, this shapes a series
<br />of decisions which need to be made and one of these decisions is to add two
<br />cents more to the top limit, which still means that we will have to do
<br />additional shaving.
<br />Commissioners Willhoit and Gustaveson spoke in favor of the tax
<br />increase of twelve cents. Commissioners Pinney and Walker spoke against
<br />this increase.
<br />Commissioner Pinney stated that the choices were to gv wtih a twelve
<br />cents tax increase at $353 and fund everything we want to fund, or go with
<br />a ten cent tax increase at $353 and cut $280,000 from the budget.
<br />Further discussion ensued.
<br />Commissioner Gustaveson suggested that the Hoard take the $493,000
<br />figure which includes the additions,'as well as school add ons, apply the
<br />three cent tax increase, which amounts to $210,000 and the difference is
<br />$283,000. He suggested further that the Board take the $283,000 figure and
<br />then see what consensus the Board can reach regarding cuts. The Board
<br />agreed to round the figure out to $280,000 as the amount to be cut.
<br />The first item proposed to be cut was $50,000 from Capital Outlay
<br />of Orange County Schools. It was pointed out that Orange County System
<br />has $289,000 left in bond monies, and $75,000 of undesignated fund to
<br />come from their budget carry over. There was a majority consensus to go
<br />with this proposed cut.
<br />Another cut proposed was $20,000 from the Sheriff's Department. There
<br />was a general consensus to go along with this cut.
<br />In the area of Public Works, Building and Grounds, it was proposed to
<br />cut $15,000. $21,000 was proposed to be cut from the Contingency Fund.
<br />These cuts amounted to $106,000, still leaving $174,000 to be taken from
<br />the budget.
<br />The Finance Director informed the Board that the County's appropriation
<br />to Social Services is $649,319.
<br />Other cuts proposed were $10,000 from Recreation (Municipal Support),
<br />$5,000 from Switchboard, and $12,000 from the Cau~ty Recreation Department.
<br />A. B. Coleman, Jr., County Attorney, informed the Board of a letter he
<br />had received from Mr. Bateman, Attorney for the Town of Mebane. This letter
<br />is a response to Mr. Coleman's letter of May 3, 1977. Mr. Bateman's letter
<br />stated that Mr. Coleman could expect information very soon from Mr. Bateman.
<br />Mr. Coleman stated that he was anticipating such information as operating
<br />expense and the amount of money Mebane now has and what they propose to
<br />do with the money.
<br />Of the cuts which had been suggested, the total to yet be cut amounted
<br />to $147,000. Chairman Whitted suggested that the Board possibly look at
<br />the Building Fund for the remaining $147,000 that is needed. He added that
<br />this would mean using two cents of the tax rate this year for current pro-
<br />grams.
<br />Mr. Gustaveson stated that he would not be in favor of this, that the
<br />Board is actually doing the same as was done last year.
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