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Commissioner Jacobs asked Finance Director Ken Chavious to clarify the fund balance. Ken Chavious said that each fund is a separate accounting entity. The 2.7% applies to the local current expense fund only. Commissioner Halkiotis asked that the information that Commissioner Jacobs asked for regarding class sizes be provided as soon as possible {tomorrow morning) and get it faxed to all County Commissioners because it is important in the decision making process. Brenda Stephens echoed what Mike Williams said that their opportunity during the budget season is going to be challenging at best. Mike Williams said that it has been his pleasure to serve as the interim superintendent these past 10 months. He thanked the board of education and the County Commissioners for the opportunity to do this. It is his observation that Orange County takes the lead in terms of respect and support far the public schools. He commended Orange County for this. Commissioner Jacobs said that he thinks that it is scandalous that there are counties in this state that only provide $600 per pupil. He is amazed that the legislature in Raleigh is taking small steps and claims that they are actually addressing the inequities in the education system. • CHCCS Superintendent and Board of Education Presentation Superintendent Neil Pedersen and Vice Chair of the CHCCS Board of Education Gloria Foley made this presentation. Gloria Foley said that their Chair, Valerie Foushee, was unable to attend tonight due to a family illness. She said that they are concerned that the Manager's budget will cause a shortfall with meeting some very pressing needs - opening a new school, dealing with the growth of students, and maintaining the quality of service. She said that the public hearings were held on nights that the CHCCS had other functions. She pointed out the people in the audience who were in support of the CHCCS budget. Neil Pedersen gave a PowerPoint presentation and expressed his gratitude to the County Commissioners. He said that they did submit a conservative budget with only an 8% increase in a year in which they are opening a new school. The identified needs include meeting the demands of student growth, eliminating the achievement gap, serving limited English proficiency students {goal of 1 20 teacher to student ratio), subsidizing meals for students, and start-up casts for Rashkis Elementary. Regarding Child Nutrition Services, this is aself-supporting budget. They have concluded that unless they raise lunch prices or lower hourly wages then they will need to make a local contribution to the Child Nutrition Services budget. They would like to make a contribution of $76,000. He explained the reasoning behind the requested special district tax increase of two cents, which was because of the increase in costs of opening Rashkis Elementary. The Manager's proposed budget includes $2.4 million. There is a decrease in projected revenue of $82,358, which leaves them with $2.3 million. The budget priorities that are not funded by this proposal include local supplement for 11 new State teachers, teacher assistants, one ESL teacher, middle school co-curricular support, local share of Japanese Language grant, coordinator of student enrollment, employee assistance program, school crossing guards, after school transportation, dual language program transportation, student AP exams, world language teachers, and child nutrition subsidy. The grand total of unfunded priorities is $936,989 and the budget available is $27,144. If the district tax were increased by two cents, the shortfall would