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3 <br /> 1 "",Jl <br /> equests f r Staff <br /> 2 <br /> 3 • Track and provide data about the county's debt capacity <br /> 4 • Track how the county is doing in terms of educational spending from 2000 to present. Other <br /> 5 education funding comments: <br /> 6 o In the area of school funding-we don't want to set up unrealistic expectations for this <br /> 7 funding. <br /> 8 o Send message that County Commissioners are committed to education and we are not <br /> 9 going to reduce school funding. <br /> 10 o It was suggested that the education funding discussion could continue with the school <br /> 11 boards at joint meeting or at school collaboration and not at joint meetings-this group <br /> 12 decides the agenda for the joint meetings- and they could bring it up. <br /> 13 • It is wrong to compartmentalize any county service to make it sacrosanct –our budget <br /> 14 allocations should be based on need at any given time. Need to do a better job of looking at <br /> 15 county needs and priorities holistically. <br /> 16 • In the future the County may need to fund charter school construction. <br /> 17 <br /> 18 Review BOCC Goal #1 and Priorities <br /> 19 ea Pr rn tin n t� �������� t� ������Jl <br /> , , iiii iiiits (Network of uman services and infrastructure) <br /> 20 <br /> 21 3r iiii f iiii iiii / l iiii iiiiy <br /> 22 In 2009 with a sinking economy that would affect the county's safety net, the Board of County <br /> 23 Commissioners wanted to affirm their unwavering commitment to basic services –for health, safety, <br /> 24 etc. that promoted this goal. This goal permeates all of their services throughout the county <br /> 25 <br /> 26 Staff pdate/Status <br /> 27 Much of this discussion focused on homelessness, poverty, and the need for affordable housing in <br /> 28 Orange County. <br /> 29 1 . Affordable Housing Update from Tara Fikes: <br /> 30 a. Section 8 stagnant, just able to maintain current caseload of 620 families with housing <br /> 31 assistance. Closed waiting list in 2010 like many others in the state because there was <br /> 32 no funding to assist more families. Due to the economy, don't foresee families in the <br /> 33 program coming off anytime soon. <br /> 34 b. Home Investment Partnership Program has had a 48% reduction last year but hope <br /> 35 not to get additional cuts because this program funds local groups like Habitat, CASA, <br /> 36 Empowerment and Community Home Trust <br /> 37 c. Housing Bond Program -Update <br /> 38 d. Urgent Home Repair- This resource is just for home owners who can receive up to <br /> 39 $5,000 for urgent home repairs. <br /> 40 <br /> 41 •" ran t iiii iiii (Gene Nichol, UNC Center on Poverty, Work, and <br /> iiii" ��� <br /> 42 Opportunity) <br /> 43 <br /> 44 Highlights of his comments: <br /> 45 • Federal poverty level is $23,000 for a family of 4-but this fails to take into consideration food <br /> 46 costs, other costs of living in designated geographic areas, age, etc. <br /> 47 • We have much larger gaps between rich and poor; if you are born poor the likelihood is that <br /> 48 you will stay that way and vice versa. <br /> 49 • Mr. Nichol said in N.C. – 25% of our kids live in poverty and 40% are kids of color. <br /> 50 • N.C. 12th highest poverty level in the nation; poverty in a land of plenty. <br />