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2~8 Chairman Whittdd replied that there were services which were funded county-wide from the County budget. Some services include Social services,. law enforcement, recreation and public schools. The Counties in the State of North Carolina have no responsibility for maintenance of roads. No County taxes are used for financing roads in the County. He stated that in North Carolina, the County has the authority to levy ad valorem tax on real and personal property. Also, Orange County has a l~ local option sale tax. Revenues are received from the ABC Board as well as other taxes, fees, and licenses, which the County does levy and collect, along with revenue sharing funds. By State law, the County is limited as to where taxes may be derived. Gera Sykes asked why some of the older people in rest homes who were considered senile could not receive medicare. He asked that this matter be investigated in order that the elderly might be able to take advantage of medicare and medicaid. Tony Seaber asked that the Board go through the budget and point out what areas the proposed 15 percent tax increase will be used. The Chairman stated that a budget had been proposed which gave the objective for the coming year and the cost of the objective as compared to last year, however, percentages have not been worked out. The Chairman proceeded to review for those present the proposed increases of the various agencies, departments and the programs of the County. Under General Administration, there was discussion of the increase from $691,101 of last year to $l,U?8,647 this year. The Chairman stated that Data Processing is a new department which will be started this year and this accounted for a major portion of the increase. Mr. Seaber asked that the Data Processing Department be discussed more th6roughly_' The Chairman stated that presently there were many departments within the County who were contracting for computer services and by having a rata Processing Department in the County would pay for itself in the.:long run. - Discussion ensued. In the Human Services section of the proposed budget, the major increase is found in the Health Department. The increase shown on the proposed budget amounted to $364,911 for 1977-78. Las t; year's figure was $144,850. Commissioner 6illhoit stated that last year's figure of $144,850 was the net contributed to the Health Department and this does not include the amount which comes in from State grants. The real increase in Health is $136,000. Whether ox not Orange County had formed a new Health Department there was a projected increase in the District Health arrangement of $$0,000 for this year if Orange County stayed in. Mrs. Josephine .Barbour asked what additional services the County will be receiving with the $120,000 increase, or will they receive the same services as if they had stayed in the District. Mr. Willhoit explained again that the net increase in Health is $136,000 and if Orange County had stayed in the District, the cost would have been $80,000. The actual increase is approximately $56,000 and a good portion of this is salary increases and the cost of establishing the Health Department. As of July, 1977, this will not provide any new services, but will enable the Health Department to better utilize the available services. Lindsey Efland asked Commissioner Willhoit if he had not advocated that the County spend twice as much for health care. Commissioner Willhoit stated that he -had quoted in a recent meeting a figure of $639 per capita as the expenditure last year for health care in the United States. He added that Orange County was spending about $2.00 per capita for public health care. The State averages $4.50 per person for public health care. He added if there are health needs that need to be met, the County should pay for providing these needs, and that he felt a commit- ment to meet the health care needs of Orange County.