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Commissioner Jacobs that the school systems here are first in the State, and said that we are in a world economy and not a state economy. Marc ter Horst is a CHCCS parent. He said that he wants to be the first speaker to address the 2008-2009 budget. He is genuinely concerned about the next budget cycle. He said that the population will no doubt grow over the next 12 months, inflation will continue, buildings will require repair, employees will require salary increases, and the schools will require funding for their operation and budget. He asked that the County Manager's Recommended Budget for the 2008-2009 budget year cover necessary expenditures. He asked that the County Commissioners prepare in the future to address the needs of County services according to the needs of the growing population, and also that they address the needs in the future for the new schools according to SAPFO. He asked the County Commissioners to be prepared and put it in writing -plan for future property tax rates, plan for a better commercial tax base, plan for growth. David Weinberg is from the CHCCS district. He said that he has attended at least three meetings just like this in the past six years, and he is forced to come to the conclusion that the budget process is flawed. He said that it does not make sense to him that a government process of this type should lead so regularly to turmoil in the community. He said that it does not make sense that right about the time that teachers are enjoying Teacher Appreciation Week, that they are receiving letters saying that their contracts might not be renewed. He said that the County employees are not receiving possible layoff notices every other year, so teachers should not either. He said that Superintendent Pedersen came to the County Commissioners earlier in the year and painted out that if they did not fund the district for the new expenses, he would be forced to cut minimally $4 million from the budget. He would have expected a dialogue to begin at this point. However, the County Commissioners instructed the County Manager to proceed with a zero increase budget. He suggested that the district tax be used to fund the schools. He also suggested that the lottery be budgeted. Dianne Ware-Furlow said that she went through the CHCCS system from kindergarten through 12t" grade. She said that this place is very special. She now has a child in kindergarten, and she moved back to Chapel Hill because she knew that the investment was worth it. She said that all of the CHCCS parents are willing to pay for additional taxes instead of sending their children to a private school. She begged the County Commissioners to fund the school system at the requested amount. Paul Van Raay is a CHCCS parent. He said that the largest contributor to income in the County is property taxes. He said that the driver of those property taxes is increased valuation of the property. He said that he personally moved here and paid the extra money because of the better school system. He said that keeping the funding per student static is actually dropping funding. He asked that the County Commissioners continue to fund the schools properly. Ray S. Martin is President of Chapel Hill-Carrboro Association of Educators. He said that last week at the public hearing he told the County Commissioners that he would be back with something special. He said that he is here to present the 2006-2007 Friend of Education Award. This award represents those people who work in education every day. He said that 300+ members of his association told him who these people should be. He said that the County Commissioners have been a friend of education for so long. He made reference to the Economic Development Commission's mission statement, which says, "The purpose of Orange County's Economic Development Commission is to have a smart county, innovative place, a great place to live and work." He said that this has been done, and the support for public education is what has made the County so great. He suggested convincing the state and federal leaders to fund us better also so that the counties can better fund the schools. Marty Hanson said that he was asked by his friends, family, and colleagues to speak tonight. He is an OCS parent. He said that he was told that it was appropriate to be polite,