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the citizens want to see a constant effort to reallocate the tax money sa that they do not feel like it is being wasted. Keith Coleman, a parent of a child in the Orange County school system, encouraged the County Commissioners to find ways to fund as many needs as possible. He encouraged the County Commissioners to keep both school systems moving forward. The Orange County Schools needs the $500,000 far the opening of Cedar Ridge High School. Randy Copeland, a candidate for the Orange County School Board, said that he was concerned about what he has heard tonight. He said that a lot of people are lasing their jobs and cannot afford a district tax. He said that we do not need a district tax, but we need to work efficiently and do same better budgeting. He challenged the County Commissioners to hold the taxes as low as passible. He said that Orange County did not want to be like Chapel Hill. Delores Simpson, a member of the Orange County School Board, said that we continue to say that our children are our most precious resources. However, we need more money and we need to continue the progress that we have made. Marlene Hoover works at Orange County Schools, and she will be working at Cedar Ridge High School. She is concerned about the budget. She asked why this school was ever built if the money was not there to get it built and running. She is wondering if it will even be able to be opened in August. She is wondering if there is going to be a computer available, etc. She asked the County Commissioners to seriously look at it some more and do what they can. Christina Hilliard has a special needs daughter that attends New Hope Elementary. She urged the County Commissioners to find a way to give more because there are 10 positions that are going to be cut and they will directly affect her daughter and her care and her education at New Hope. She urged the County Commissioners to try to find a way in the budget to scoot the money over from other places into the schools. Mary Copeland said that one of the main things that is taking up so much time in the schools is the paperwork. She asked if there was any way to cut out some of this paperwork and put time with the children. She said that she and her husband could not stand another tax increase. Commissioner Halkiotis assured Ms. Hoover that Cedar Ridge will open and that everything would be in place. Commissioner Brown made reference to the mention of the disparity in the funding between the Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange County school systems. She asked for the Manager to explain the dilemma that the County Commissioners are in and that the State funding mandates a certain way of funding. John Link said that the State requires that counties appropriate funding for the operation of schools on a per pupil basis. In most counties, there is only one school system. The disparity of funding between the two school systems is based on two factors -the Chapel Hill-Carrboro system has about 4,000 more students than the Orange County system and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro system has a district tax. The district tax generates about $11 million. He is not recommending a district tax for Orange County, but it is an option to overcome the disparity. Commissioner Gordon said that the County Commissioners have heard the public and that they will do their very best. Commissioner Carey made reference to the comments about layoffs elsewhere and said that the County was concerned about these people because many of them turn to the County when they cannot turn to anyone else for assistance.