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APR 29 197 11:02AM TUNL 9196602634 P,2 <br /> 9 <br /> Minority Report <br /> CapitcW Needs Advisory Task Force <br /> Orange County, North Carolina <br /> Orange County is rich in its diversity and we want to encourage that for many <br /> years to come.This diversity is being challenged everyday from all directions including <br /> our own government. Taxes and fees of all kinds add to the cost of living in Orange <br /> County. Essential services such as educating our children, public health, and fulfilling <br /> prior commitments must be provided for by our Commissioners, in addition to <br /> evaluating funding additional citizen services and projects. These factors, the Task <br /> Force's charge and evaluation criteria, as well as the guidance and information of <br /> many documents provided to the Task Force, including the Capital Improvement Plan <br /> and a funding plan for School and County projects adopted in October of 1996, helped <br /> shape our opinion that a bond as recommended in the majority report would be <br /> difficult to pass and would further impact those citizens who could ill afford additional <br /> tax burden. <br /> The following examples are just a few areas of concern for us <br /> - New middle school for Chapel HiII/Carrboro City Schools is a tier "B" school <br /> whereas in October, 1996 the Board of Commissioners agreed to fund new schools at <br /> tier "A" level. This would reduce the cost of this school from 22.5 million dollars to Mr. <br /> Mulkey's bond proposal of 16.4 million dollars (estimate based on School Facility <br /> Construction Standards report). It should also be noted that this school's 700 student <br /> capacity would only have 318 students as projected by the Department of Public <br /> Instruction(DPI) when it opens in the year 2000 and DPI's projected middle school <br /> growth declines in the years after. In the school tour, the Principle of Grey Culbreth <br /> stated that there was room to build another wing at Culbreth in order to expand <br /> capacity. <br /> - New elementary school for Orange County Schools is a tier "B" school in <br /> October, 1996 the Board of Commissioners agreed to fund new school at tier 'A" level. <br /> This would reduce the cost of this school from 14.5 million dollars to Mr. Mulkey's bond <br /> proposal of 12.3 million dollars (estimate based on School Facility Construction <br /> Standards report) . <br /> - East Chapel Hill High School addition (3 million dollars) is a request based <br /> on expectations of potential budget over runs. There was no hard-core facts, or <br /> updated cost estimates given to verify this request. It should be noted that in the <br /> funding plan adopted last October (1996) by the Board of Commissioners the Chapel <br /> Hill/Carrboro -School System would have a 4,54 million dollar surplus in the year <br /> 2005-6. On page 17 of the Capitol Improvement Plan the Chapel HiIVCarrboro System <br /> also has a 6.98 million dollars surplus for special projects in the same year. This huge <br /> surplus of tax dollars, 11.52 million dollars, needs to be directed to more pressing <br /> concerns for the entire County, not as a surplus, "to be determined". <br /> 7 <br />