Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
next page includes the tax rate levies for each fire district. The per pupil appropriation is $2,623 <br />per student, which is an increase of $3. <br />Donna Dean said that the capital project ordinances far schools and for the County have <br />no new funding but need a deadline extension. It also includes projects receiving new pay-as- <br />you-go money next year. Regarding the 2l3 net debt issuance, Little River Park project needs <br />funds in place to pay the contracts and the new courthouse needs funds for renovations on the <br />exterior. <br />Chair Jacobs said that they did suspend until further discussion any fees for picnic <br />shelters and picnic tables. Donna Dean said that this point is included in the resolution of intent. <br />A motion was made by Chair Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to change <br />number six on page three to reduce the property tax proposal from 88.4 cents to 88 cents, <br />which would be a reduction of $400,000. <br />Chair Jacobs said that the more he thought about it with the solid waste fee and the <br />revaluation for next year, and the possibility of a countywide supplemental school tax, he <br />believes they should exercise more rigor in reducing the operating budget this year. He would <br />like to exercise more discipline in reducing the expenditures. <br />Commissioner Brown asked where the cuts would come from. <br />Chair Jacobs said that they would come from the governing and management, general <br />services, community, environment, culture, and recreation funding, which are about $22 million. <br />He will leave it to the Manager to figure out which would be the least painful to cut and to bring <br />back some proposals. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that they did this several years ago and the Manager was <br />able to do it. He thinks it is entirely doable. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he thinks the sentiment is sincere and he agrees with this <br />because raising taxes is difficult. He said that the Board has asked the Manager to find cuts <br />before, and he will support this motion, but his concern is that they have never done changes <br />like this before on the last night and before they have had a chance to review the reductions. <br />He trusts the Manager, but he is concerned that the cuts the Manager would make might not be <br />the cuts he would make. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that this last minute change wreaks havoc with the budget <br />process. She thinks this has been an especially chaotic process already. She agrees with <br />Commissioner Corey's sentiment about the process. She said that the County Commissioners <br />are becoming very unpredictable and people cannot count on the process to be followed. She <br />will vote against this change, even though she agrees with the sentiment of lowering taxes. <br />Chair Jacobs agreed that they need to look at the process. He thinks that Orange <br />County is getting to be a bigger and bigger government with more functions and staff and it is <br />more difficult to go back and challenge the funding levels that they have always had. He thinks <br />that the process is, that until they adopt the budget, they can change the budget. The Board did <br />not adapt the budget on June 21St. He said that he did mention to the Manager that he was <br />going to do this, and the Manager has had time to think about it. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he thinks they will survive this. He said that Chatham <br />County and Hillsborough are holding their tax rate. Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and OWASA are <br />raising their rates, and the solid waste fee will be implemented. There are a lot of unhappy <br />people. <br />Commissioner Brown said that it is surprising to bring this up at this time so late in the <br />process. She said that she could not support decreasing the Human Services budget at all. <br />John Link said that if the Board were to pursue this motion, he would recommend that all <br />seven of the major functions be addressed -governing and management, general services, <br />community and environment, human services, public safety, culture, and recreation. He thinks it <br />will take all seven of these to come back with a plan. He said that any actions to cut or reduce <br />budgets would not occur until the Board acts on the budget amendments that would come back <br />