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figure out where my son Eric will be going to school, can you give me a call and let me know? Anne Gregory-Bepler: My name is Anne Gregory-Bepler. I am a full time high school teacher. I do not teach in Orange County or in Carrboro or in Chapel Hill. I'm a single mother. My son does not go to schools in Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro, but I da live in Orange County within five minutes of a high school, a middle school, and an elementary school. Why does my son not go there? Why do I not teach in these schools? As a teacher, I value education probably more than almost any of you, except that I know how much our children mean to us and we will do anything we can to get the best we can for them. However, I am fortunate enough to have a higher salary than I would if I were teaching in Orange County. My son, in my opinion, is probably getting a better education than he would five minutes from where we live. I'm somewhat ashamed to say this. My only point is that there is always room for improvement. I am more than willing to pay more taxes even if my children or my son never goes to an Orange County school. I do not make a lot of money. I think we have to choose our priorities. I have chosen to drive an old car and live in a modest house. But I have chosen education and I would like it if perhaps all the people in this room think about really and truly what everyone wants far his or her child. Thank you. Charles Mascarella: Good evening members of the Board and people of the public who remain. I oppose the merger. I've read a lot of information on the Orange County Internet. As a matter of fact, my son and I, who had to leave earlier, have over 254 pages, which includes the Analysis of Potential Impacts Resulting from a Possible Merger of the Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Within that, I ran across this little paragraph. It has to do with tax. And the folks that say that we shouldn't have a referendum on taxes must have forgotten our history because we were born far apposing taxes that we could not have direct control over. North Carolina General Statute 115c-512 provides that in a specific set of circumstances a merged school system automatically causes any supplemental tax operating in one of the pre- merged districts to become applicable to the entire resulting merged district. This expansion occurs without approval of the voters of the districts. Although this section of law does not apply to Orange County, it is conceivable that the special legislation approved by the General Assembly could modify the provisions of that section to make it apply to Orange County. In such circumstances, then a merger between Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools would entail the Chapel Hill-Carrboro district tax becoming inapplicable through a newly merged Orange County school system without an election on the matter. You know, I did not vote for you. I wasn't here. Quite probably wouldn't have anyway. I'm of the firm opinion, in having a lot of experience dealing with schools, not in this state, but in another. Forty-two years to be exact. That when the people are in charge -officers, officials, state, county, parish din Louisiana, that's where it was} -that do not pay attention to the majority of the people, you risk not being in next time, especially if you are voted upon. Thank you for your time.