Minutes - 20031023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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it. The House could either modify the current merger statute, or pass a local act to allow a referendum. No Commissioner ran on a platform of merger. If you choose to proceed with a possible merger, then you should find a way to hold a referendum. Would those in the audience who agree please quietly stand? I again ask Mr. Carey to post a list of perceived social injustices, and I'll be back on December 4t" to ask again. In closing, ask you to fund ACS appropriately. Merger has not been justified and at risk are two very good school systems and a whole lot of bussing. We want a vote. Patrick Mulkey: Good evening. My name is Patrick Mulkey. Welcome to Cedar Ridge High School. My wife Robin and I have a son here at Cedar Ridge, and our twin first graders are across the road at Grady Brown. We are pleased with the education of our children are receiving in the County school system. My most experienced viewpoint is as a parent and a taxpayer. And from both viewpoints, I have the same questions. Where da we stand with other counties in this State? I understand the figures given by Mr. Visser, but I have some other ones also. The 2002-2003 budgets and tax survey from the North Carolina County Commissioners Association is the most up to date one I could find. The results show we are ranked number two out of 100 counties with the amount of local dollars provided by the Commissioners. And that does not include the district tax from the City system. Furthermore, according to the survey, the average dollars provided by other Commissioners in the State is $1,056 per student. And we received $2,491, which is a 235% more of the average. The reason I used this survey is citizens here have very little input into any decisions made in Raleigh or Washington. But you Commissioners have to live with us every day. Our students are not the only group that will bear the impact of merger. Working families and those on fixed incomes in the County will be greatly impacted by a substantial increase in property taxes and will have to decide if they can afford to stay or leave. Our diversity will take a major step backwards by merging and building a gated, I repeat, gated (Jrange County. Just look at the cost of living in Chapel Hill and Carrboro versus the rest of the County. Is the City district tax to blame for the shortfalls of the County school budget? Maybe a little. Are our school boards communicating their needs clearly to you so you understand what the requests will be used for? Probably not. The cold hard fact is the buck stops with you, the County Commissioners. You five Commissioners decide what the property tax will be, what the district tax will be, who will receive the monies. Some of you have been on the BOCC for almost 20 years. If there are inequities in our schools due to funding issues, they happened on your watch. Don't give me that buck passing excuse. Don't give me that buck passing excuse that you give the school boards a chunk of money and they decide haw to spend it. You control the purse strings. Merger is the easy answer for lack of leadership. The Commissioners and both school boards need to provide leadership, communication, and make tough decisions. Thank you. John Dallara: Thank you. My name is John Dallara. I'm a citizen in Chapel Hill. I guarantee you I'm not going to be as entertaining as the previous two speakers. I'm a little new to the merger process, and I've learned a lot tonight and I appreciate all of the effort, particularly of the Commissioners and the staff laying out this for those of us who are new to this process. The things I've noticed I think are important for me as a Chapel Hill resident living in the Chapel Hill school system, as I've noticed that our systems