Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Please vote to fully fund the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. The budget cuts our district <br /> faces will directly and negatively impact the quality of education my two children currently <br /> receive at our local public elementary school. <br /> Three years ago, my family relocated to Chapel Hill from the Silicon Valley. We were excited at <br /> the possibility of living somewhere that not only had good jobs and a reasonable cost of living, <br /> but still maintained a reputation of excellence in public schools. We were okay paying Chapel <br /> Hill's higher property taxes if it meant we could send our kids to good neighborhood schools. <br /> This was the type of place every family dreamed of living, and we had made it our reality. <br /> Three years later, we are faced with budget cuts that change 2 out of 3 of the reasons we <br /> moved here in the first place. Without quality education for our children, we will be forced to <br /> look for private school which makes this no longer an affordable place to live. And what about <br /> those families who cannot afford private school? <br /> Cutting our district's budget sends a message that education is not a priority here. People who <br /> live here will be forced to seek out quality education elsewhere and people who were <br /> considering living here will look elsewhere. This does not lead to a growing, thriving community <br /> in which people dream of living. <br /> Though we already pay higher taxes than surrounding areas, I would support a tax increase if it <br /> meant that we could protect and fully support the education services in our public schools. <br /> Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful consideration. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Nicole Bratten <br /> Dear Commissioners, <br /> We would like to say thank you. Thank you for your service to our community, your leadership, <br /> and your ongoing commitment to education in Orange County. We know that you are faced with <br /> many difficult choices, especially as retrenchment from Raleigh puts increasing pressure on <br /> local municipalities to make up the difference. We recognize that it puts you in a tough spot, but <br /> we also urge you to bear in mind the following facts: <br /> Education drives growth. <br /> One of the great values of this community is its schools. The quality of public education in <br /> Chapel Hill, Carrboro and greater Orange County draws businesses, property owners and <br /> taxpayers like no other feature in our community. Failure to fully fund the budget requests of the <br /> school districts has a real impact on their ability to educate our children. We risk losing a <br /> significant part of our attractiveness as a community when we lessen our financial commitment <br /> to the educational institutions that have served as the most visible beacon leading people to call <br /> this place home. <br /> Education builds value. <br /> Property values in Orange County significantly exceed those of our neighbors. Much of that <br /> value is driven by the quality of our schools. The best way to keep property values high is to <br /> continue to ensure that OCS and CHCCS remain among the very best schools in the state. The <br /> only way to keep our schools among the best in the state and region is to fully fund the budget <br /> requests of both school districts. Fully funding our schools sends a message to students and <br /> teachers that our community remains committed to the best possible future for our citizens, no <br /> matter what happens in Raleigh. <br /> There is no tomorrow. <br /> Capital projects have been delayed. Fund balances have been exhausted. Central office staffs <br /> have been gutted. Every last bit of fat has been drained from the budgets of both OCS and <br /> CHCCS. If you fail to fully fund the schools' budget requests, real and seriously impactful cuts <br />