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been reappraising his property. He paid for his education by going to war and then the GI bill. He has paid far his own family's education and now he is paying far other's education. He lives in northern Orange County and he furnishes his own water and sewer and has no trash pickup. He said that the only thing that he sees as a service to him from the County is a Deputy Sheriff on his road once or twice a day. In the last ten years, on average, he has paid $2,405 in County taxes. He said that this is a lot of money because he is 79 and retired. He said that the County should try and get a sales tax increase or a flat tax. He said that he appreciates Laura Blackmon holding the line an the budget. Carolyn Landever said that the question here is about costs and benefits. She said that the majority of residents in Orange County care about both school systems and without a tax increase, both systems will face hardships. She knows that there are residents who have a hard time with tax increases, but most enjoy the results of a good school or higher property values. She said that the benefits are for all. She asked the County Commissioners to raise their taxes. Kimberly Nevin is a parent of CHCCS children and a volunteer in the schools. She is supportive of all teachers. She said that cutting staff is unacceptable. These are not extra positions, but basic needs. She said that they recently moved to Orange County for one reason -the reputation far funding and supporting the great schools. She asked the County Commissioners to please fully fund schools. Marc ter Horst is a resident of Chapel Hill and a parent of children in CHCCS. He is also a resident of Orange County and an advocate for the community. He has served as PTA President for two different PTAs and he is currently Co-Chair of a school improvement team at Seawell Elementary. He has learned through volunteering that schools do not exist without the community, and he believes that community does not exist without the schools. He is advocating full funding for both school systems. He supports continued employment for teachers, TAs, and staff. He also supports continued funding for operational costs for all schools, old and new. He asked the County Commissioners to consider a school funding continuation ordinance, or SAPFO for operating expenses. He would also like a County service-funding ordinance based on the population. He said that continuation-funding ordinances would help determine the desired commercial tax base. AI Hartkopf is a member of the OCS Board and volunteers at two schools. He said that they all have wants and obligations. He said that everyone wants to keep taxes low but there are obligations. He said that there are other ways to fund education rather than raising the taxes. He said that Ben Lloyd and Robert Nichols helped him get elected. He said that there is mare than one way to raise money for schools such as economic development and commercial tax bases. He said that this is a culmination of many years. The County needs to fund the schools. Jeff Denarim is a CHCCS parent. He said that he recognizes that the County Commissioners do not have the flexibility in the funding mechanism to shift the burden more towards people who can afford to pay more for taxes. He said that the Board of County Commissioners should organize the public and the parents to help them get the flexibility in Raleigh. Lori Merritt is a teacher's assistant in the OCS, and her job is in jeopardy. She said that she cannot afford higher taxes, but she cannot afford to lose her jab either. She said that OCS has high standards, higher than Durham County. She is in school to become a teacher in Orange County and she wants to teach here because the standards are so high. If there are not teacher assistants to help the children, then no one will help them. She said that athletics help in student performance because of the standards. She asked the Board to do the best it can do. Kimberly Holzer is a teacher in the CHCCS system. She said that without a permanent sub or teacher assistants, the classes are collapsed -where two classes are squished into a