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students from both school districts can benefit from such efforts. I think we can all, whatever side of the table we're on, take heart from the merger talks that will cover additional benefits for all our students. That's the sugar, now for the vinegar. I've got three points I'd like to bring up with respect to the merger report that I don't understand or I think are missing. First, I don't see where you specifically address the impact of school merger on the County tax base. In all the taxes of money and merger, I seem to have missed the Board's discussion of how school merger will degrade property values in the northern tier of the City school area. I counted 30 neighborhoods north of Homestead Road and Weaver Dairy Road in the City school system. These neighborhoods include homes that range from massive to modest. And these homeowners (or I should say mostly debtors) have mortgages to pay for their houses. Those mortgages are based on market-driven property values. Those property values, in part, are based on what many of the people have talked about in all of these discussions. How long does it take your child to get to school? Can you participate? And how much support can the parents provide in those schools? These homeowners contribute to the County's tax base (the same tax base used to fund schools) to the tune of perhaps half a billion dollars. Merger will most likely drive down their home values, and thus, the County tax base. Many may lose much of their home equity. Who will be the losers here, and by how much? I can't find that from your report. Second, I have missed, in your report, any discussian on the appreciation of home values in certain areas within the County school area. While same City school homeowners will lase home equity, some County school homeowners may gain. Who will the winners be? And again, by how much? I couldn't find anything in your report. Third, you project in Appendix R that the student population for the City schools will grow by 23.5% over the next ten years versus 7.9°~ far the County schools. However, you project growing the separate tax bases for both groups during the same time at the same rate. My question is, do you really believe that with merger during the next decade, the City schools will grow at three times the rates of the County schools? In other words, do you believe that merger will not affect the difference in those student growth rates? Second, do you really believe that with merger during that decade, the County school tax base will increase in lock step with the City school tax base? In other words, do you believe that merger will not affect the property value mix? I think what's clear is the need to hire experts to figure out what will happen within the tax base before any decision can be made on school merger. I think that if we got a nationally respected consultant firm, and with the right qualifications, everybody would feel a lot more comfortable about what's going to happen. Some have framed the issue of school merger in terms of social injustice, implying that County school residents are incapable of raising their own taxes as City school residents have done. I do think that an unprecedented transfer of real property wealth that could occur from a hurried merger will truly be an injustice also. Thank you. Bill Holmberg: Good evening Commissioners. My name is Bill Holmberg. Before my family moved to North Carolina over five years aga, we searched for schools with the right balance of academic, community spirit, and school involvement. My wife, kids, in- laws, and I all moved here together. My wife and in-laws are regular volunteers in the schools. Our kids are very active in the schools activities programs. We live in the zoning of the school system but outside the City/Town line. As like many other Orange County residents, we do not get any City conveniences except electricity. As a