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Commissioner Halkiotis said that he has always supported the CHCCS district tax. He said that <br />he has always supported and respected residents in Chapel Hill-Carrboro because they are the <br />ones that pushed the bond issue and enabled it to get passed. He said that he was on the first <br />efficiency study group where an outside agency examined the County. He knows that OCS <br />needs more money because he has worked far them for 30 years. He thinks we need to look <br />carefully about how we spend our money. He agrees that we need to make sure there is an <br />equal playing field for all children. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he does think that we need to do the efficiency study and that he <br />is not anti-CHCCS district tax. He is proposing to increase the burden on the general tax and <br />relieve the burden an the CHCCS district tax so that more money can be provided to the OCS. <br />This will begin to correct the inequity. <br />Commissioner Brown asked what John Link would came back with at tax time, based on this <br />discussion. <br />John Link said that the mathematics are on page 34 as the tax rate is increased countywide. <br />He said that the Board can give him further instruction, but he can point out what has already <br />been mathematically created. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that it would be reasonable to ask the Manager to reduce the <br />CHCCS tax and raise the countywide general property tax. She would be hesitant to say the <br />exact amount. She would like to leave it to the Manager to come up with alternatives. She said <br />that the thing that would hold them back is the huge tax increase that Orange County residents <br />would have to shoulder. <br />Chair Jacobs said that he agrees with Commissioner Brown and he feels comfortable that the <br />Manager will come up with a suitable recommendation. He also expects that the Manager will <br />make the recommendation based on the fact that there are other functions of County <br />government. He trusts that the Manager will do it in context. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he trusts the Manager's recommendation too and he thinks the <br />Manager expects the Board to give him direction. He referred to the fact that 213 of the <br />households in the County do not have children in schools and the number of senior citizens in <br />the County almost equals the number of children in schools. He said that the $18 million that <br />can be saved on the cost of one middle school, plus the additional $10-15 million in interest <br />over a 2Q-year period would go a long way to meet the needs of the other households. He has <br />not forgotten about them and he hopes the Board does not forget about them when they decide <br />about merger. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he is supportive of having the Manager bring back <br />alternatives, but they have no idea what County government may ask far. He is afraid of the <br />mental health reform and what the State is throwing back at counties. <br />Commissioner Brawn said that there could be proposals at the March 18t" work session, <br />especially if the Board could bring forward information and questions by March Stn <br />Commissioner Gordon asked Commissioner Brown for an outline of what she is proposing. <br />Commissioner Brown said that it was on page three of her proposal. <br />