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of the issue. I appreciate the fact that you also have questions. On the evening of the presentation of the report, many of you expressed concern over the lack of information about a variety of issues. If you have those questions, then surely you can understand how the parents of our County must feel. On the evening of the presentation of the merger report, Commissioner Halkiotis reminded the rest of the Board that he had once likened what had happened to the merger debate to a speeding train. You'll have to pardon me, I think I've used your analogy before, it was very effective. Although in recent weeks, I do feel the train slowing just a little, I still believe that train is in motion and the conductors and the passengers do not know if there is enough tracks to reach their destination, or even if the destination is somewhere we even want to go. I ask you for all our sakes to please consider stopping that train while its passengers can get the information they need to decide whether they want to remain on or get off at the next stop. Thank you. Emily Maginn: I'm a senior here at Chapel Hill High School, and I'm also a member of Student Government. Is it possible to wait until the next election before the proposed merger is voted on so that candidates can run on this issue and be elected based on the response of the voters? Many of the students at Chapel Hill High School are able to vote in the next election and therefore will be able to voice their concerns. From past meetings of County Commissioners, it is obvious that redistricting plans have not been made as of now. Considering this, how can the people, as well as the County Commissioners, be informed, and therefore make an educated decision on the topic of merger. The issues that affect all stakeholders such as bussing, redistricting, and curriculum alignments have not been addressed. Thank you. David Laudiciua: Thank you. We applaud the Commissioners for attacking the educational inequities existing in our two school systems and attempting to end the economic segregation the County district must contend with. One of the major reasons inequities exist is the financial environment the two systems operate under. The County system budget requests are rarely fully funded, causing the County system to be consistently faced with an operating shortfall every budget cycle. Lacking other sources of funding, the County system does not have the capability to make up these shortfalls. This causes many new County system programs to be unrealized and continually widening the educational opportunity that Chapel Hill system students enjoy over County system students. The Chapel Hill district usually achieves close to full funding of its budget requests when the district tax is factored in. The disparity the County system will face in the near future is in the funding of new buildings. The future calls for $99 million worth of new buildings for the Chapel Hill district, while only $20 million for the County district. That means that the City system holds a five to one advantage over the County system in the amount of money it would get from bonds. In other words, County system residents will have to pay five cents for every one cent worth of buildings they get. A County district tax is only a partial solution and only resolves operating cost disparities. Given County demographics and historical bond issue voting patterns, it is highly unlikely a County district referendum would ever pass. We believe a merged system would resolve both operating and building cost disparities and provide equal educational opportunity for all students in Orange County and end the economic