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between reevaluations to allow for appropriate increases in property values to be reflected in the increase in the tax base that occurs. She feels this fee is not a fair tax. WAYNE PARRISH, Vice-President of Governmental Relations with the Home Builders Assoc. of Durham and Orange Counties, spoke against this proposed increase in the impact fee. He feels the fee is inequitable and divides citizens against each other. He feels the County Commissioners should move to a funding mechanism that will generate substantial revenue with minimal impact on taxpayers. He asked the Board to support an additional sales tax to be dedicated to capital construction costs. An increase of 1/2 cents will raise $3,000,000 for the schools. Chair Carey noted for everyone that the County Commissioners have no authority to implement a sales tax. This must be authorized by the General Assembly. MARY BUSHNELL, Vice-Chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, said that impact fees are a way to pay for a portion of the school infrastructure needs brought about by growth in the entire community. She noted that impact fees will only generate about $850,000 per year at the present rate or $4,300,000 over the next five years. Their capital construction needs during that time period will be $50,474,000. The impact fee is a way to raise only a portion of what is needed for school construction. She is in support of the County expanding its refund eligibility for affordable housing. She asked that the impact fee be set at a level that can realistically address the infrastructure demands generated by residential growth. BEA HUGHES WERNER, member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, urged the County Commissioners to vote for an increase in the impact fee . She noted that schools need money and they need it from varied sources and she supports the proposed increase. HARVEY GOLDSTEIN, member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, spoke in support of the proposal to increase the impact fee. He reminded the Board that hundreds of communities across the country use impact fees on new residential units to finance infrastructure made necessary by residential growth. Increasing this fee to $3,000 is one way to diversify the capital funding for the schools. He does not feel that the impact fee should become the major source of funding for new schools. He feels that there are ways to justify a sliding fee based on house size. GREG ISENHOUR, home builder, does not support this increase in the impact fee. He feels that the issue is not impact fees but how can the community raise the necessary money to fund new schools. He feels that the schools are a benefit and should be paid for by all citizens. Orange County does have a tax base problem which limits revenue sources. He feels that the County needs to generate tax base properties that do not generate school children. He encouraged the County Commissioners to look at the big picture. With reference to affordable housing, the County regulations demand more open space and more stringent guidelines for infrastructure which prevents Orange County from offering affordable housing. NICK TENNYSON, Home Builders Association of Durham and Orange Counties, said he read the technical report and questions the calculated cost per student. He feels that some sort of life cycle analysis of amortization of capital cost that is actually in the building would mean a lower cost than what is in the report. He noted that the second highest generated rate for students in the schools is from apartment dwellings. MATTHEW BARTON spoke in support of the proposed increase in the impact fee. He feels that every property owner benefits by an increase in the impact fee. He supports rebates for low cost housing. The Seawell Elementary PTA passed a resolution asking the County Commissioners to use impact fees as a part of funding for schools. SOS supports planning and cooperation by all the governing bodies. LINDA MEWS, taxpayer, feels this proposed increase in the impact fee is not fair. She stated that new construction does not impact the schools, children do. She suggested taxing the number of children in the household. This tax would be fair, easy to assess and easy to collect. Another suggestion is to broaden the base to include an Impact Tax at the time the title to property is transferred.