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agencies is about $1.5 million. It has taken a long time to get feedback from these groups for <br />only $1.5 million. He said that they should take it a step further and look at all Orange County <br />students (charter and private schools) because it is all under the umbrella of resources. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she would support the school efficiency study. She wants to <br />make it clear why the school systems need the money. She said that it seems to her that the <br />merger issue was raised because of the funding disparity due to the district tax in the Chapel <br />Hill-Carrboro and not in the Orange County Schools. There is a big disparity, and what she <br />heard the public say was to correct the funding disparity. She was convinced that something <br />should be done as soon as possible and that is why she thought the supplemental tax should be <br />pursued. She said that she does not understand haw the Commissioners intend to address the <br />funding disparity in the short term by setting up these groups. She is concerned because she <br />does not see an end paint where the funding disparity is going to be fixed. She wants <br />clarification concerning how many groups are being proposed. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he thinks there are three groups: The first is the collaboration group - <br />two school board chairs, County Commissioner Chair, superintendents, County Manager and <br />Andy Sachs. The two school boards are going to work together with the idea that there will be <br />something on an interim basis coming back at the joint work session toward the end of April that <br />will give some ideas on what the two systems think they can collaborate on. The second group <br />is about efficiency in operations. He would think that the County staff would work with the staff <br />of the school systems. The third group is the Educational Excellence Task Force, which will <br />come back with a charge and timeline. He would add that there is a fourth point of a <br />supplemental tax and what it would look like. <br />John Link said that he would propose a structure. He suggested finding the end result and <br />working back from there. He said that the Task Force could help staff with the pros and cons <br />about pursuing an efficiency study and in collaboration with the school boards. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she understands about the efficiency and collaboration groups, <br />but she does not know what the Educational Excellence Task Force is doing and why we need <br />this group over and above the other two groups. <br />Chair Jacobs said that they are not analyzing aspects in the collaboration group of ways in <br />which to go about education, but ways in which to work together. <br />Discussion ensued about the Educational Excellence task force <br />Commissioner Carey said that it will take time for these committees to be appointed and then to <br />get the work done. He said that they began this discussion because there were serious <br />concerns about inequity in funding, and that the majority of the public wanted to increase <br />funding for the Orange County Schools. He said that they need to be responsive to the public <br />and instruct the Manager to begin to address this. He thinks the Board should instruct the <br />Manager to reduce the CHCCS district tax by at least three cents and to raise the difference by <br />the property tax this year. He would like to hear from the other County Commissioners about <br />this. He said that the Board does not have to wait to respond to the public. He understands <br />that Commissioner Halkiotis does not want to give any more money to either school system until <br />the study is conducted, but there is a budget decision in June. He thinks the Board has to <br />maintain its commitment to education. He would like to know more precisely how the money is <br />spent, but he does not want to hold either system back on program development. <br />