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APPROVED 2/12/96 MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS GOAL SETTING RETREAT DECEMBER 9, 1995 The Orange County Board of Commissioners met on Saturday, December 9, 1995 at 8:30 a.m. at the Homestead Community Center in Chapel Hill for the purpose of their annual Goal Setting Retreat. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Moses Carey, Jr., and Commissioners William L. Crowther, Alice M. Gordon, Stephen H. Halkiotis and Don Willhoit. COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County Managers Rod Visser and Albert Kittrell and Clerk to the Board Beverly Blythe (all other County staff will be identified appropriately below) NOTE: All documents referred to in these minutes are in the permanent agenda file in the Clerk's office COUNTY FISCAL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS AND FORECASTS Budget Director Sally Kost used charts to show revenue trends and projections. She emphasized that these are preliminary and she will have a better projection in the Spring. To summarize, the current tax rate is 94.5 cents. In FY 1995-96 the general fund revenue from "current" property taxes will be $45.11 million. In FY 1996-97 this will increase to $46.50 million. One cent on the general fund property tax equals $476,000 this fiscal year and is projected to equal $490,700 for FY 1996- 97. Sally Kost showed the source of revenues including sales tax, licenses and permits, charges for services, impact fees, intergovernmental revenue, intangibles, tax receipts and earnings on investments. She showed on another chart school enrollment for both school districts and the per pupil current expense appropriation for the past seven years. The additional costs identified by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System for new schools for 1996-97 total $1,492,000. Other issues to be considered that may have an impact on the budget includes impact of welfare reform, opening of new jail expansion and the results of the Efficiency and Innovation Committee. Sally Kost said that with regards to the one cent sales tax, there was a weak fourth quarter for FY1994-95 and it looks as if the one-cent sales tax may fall short this year. However, the one-half cent sales tax will probably exceed the estimated budget for this year. This is the tax earmarked for capital projects with 70o going to schools and 30o County. Commissioner Gordon emphasized that the County needs to publicize shopping in Orange County so that sales tax revenue can be increased. Commissioner Willhoit feels this is an opportunity to look at the charges for services. With reference to impact fees, he feels that the Board needs to develop a policy for how the additional $750.00 being collected for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System should be allocated. John Link noted that Chapel Hill-Carrboro School system will be asking for additional schools while Orange County Schools do not expect to ask for an additional school at this time.