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11 <br />every person that lives and works in Orange County. It is important that there is a clear <br />scientific and technical understanding of this interrelationship as the County proceeds to <br />develop the long-term future policies and programs of the Land Use and Natural and Cultural <br />Systems Elements of the Comprehensive Plan." <br />Gayanne Chambless said that she voted against the district tax for OCS and she did so <br />because it was not going to fix the problem. However, she is in support of paying more taxes <br />and she is living off of a single income. She understands what Mr. Lloyd is saying, but she is <br />willing to make the sacrifices that are necessary. She knows that the County Commissioners <br />are not in charge of what gets funded, but if they were, she would like to fund the AVID program <br />because the dropout rate is going up and 44°~ of the dropout rate occurs at the 9`" grade level. <br />According to the statistics, 80% of the students who drop out end up in prison. She said that the <br />AVID program would help. She said that to cover the mandates, OCS needs $1,618,970. What <br />was recommended this year was $1,064,000. The difference is $554,912, which is $79 per <br />pupil and 21 cents a day. She is willing to pay this. She said that if OCS had been granted last <br />year what was requested, they would not have had to go into their fund balance. She said that <br />what OCS is asking for this year is based on what they did not get last year, which was based <br />on what they did not get the year before, etc. <br />Rosetta Wash was representing the Orange County Chapter of the American Red <br />Cross. She asked the County Commissioners to consider adding the American Red Cross <br />Disaster Services Program to this year's budget. The request is far $5,000 and will be used to <br />provide emergency assistance for families and single citizens who are displaced from their <br />homes due to house fires, floods, hurricanes, and other such emergencies. They provide food, <br />clothing, shelter, and mental health counseling. This fiscal year, they have responded to over <br />20single-family fires and they have assisted over 56 people at the cost of nearly $30,000. They <br />are also obligated by the Orange County Multi-Hazard Plan and the American Red Crass to be <br />prepared to open mass shelters in the County during a countywide disaster. She said that they <br />need an additional $5,000 for the Disaster Services Program. <br />Evelyn Daniel -not here. <br />Brandon Rector -not here. <br />Delores Bailey is the Executive Director of EmPOWERment, Inc. She read a letter from <br />the five non-profits, which include Affordable Rentals, Inc., EmPOWERment, Inc., Orange <br />Community Housing and Land Trust, Chrysalis Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity. She said <br />that they want to express their gratitude that their proposal for creating a professional property <br />management position is included in the County Manager's budget. The proposal was supported <br />by the Town of Chapel Hill in its budget and they have received encouragement from the Tawn <br />of Carrboro also. She asked the County Commissioners for support of this position. She <br />believes that this position will allow them to add more affordable rental units to the current <br />housing stock. <br />Vern Miller said that he is from Caldwell and he does not want the County <br />Commissioners to raise his taxes. He is a firm believer that he should be allowed to live in this <br />County, but he does not think that he should be required to have asix-year college education or <br />an upper five orsix-figure salary to be able to live in this County. He does not see anything <br />wrong with being a mechanic, a carpenter, a farmer, a fireman, ar a policeman. He thinks that <br />these people should be able to buy their own homes and not be taxed out of the County. <br />Caldwell is adjacent to Person, Caswell, and Alamance Counties and people are going to these <br />other counties because they cannot afford to pay the taxes in Orange County. He said that he <br />wants to be reasonable about the tax and he wants his daughter to be able to live in this County <br />if she wants to without having to go to great measures if she so chooses. He thinks that this is <br />not an unreasonable request. <br />Homer Davis said that he has been a resident of Orange County for 81 years and he <br />worked in public service for 43 years, and he had to be accountable every month for the <br />