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34 <br /> 1 <br /> 2 1 am willing to pay increased taxes for an increase in the ad valorem or district tax as necessary <br /> 3 to meet the CHCCS BOE budget request. <br /> 4 <br /> 5 Thanks, <br /> 6 Mark Peters <br /> 7 <br /> 8 <br /> 9 From: Laura Kline <br /> 10 Phone Number: 919-933-9145 <br /> 11 Message: <br /> 12 Please fully fund all school districts in Orange County this year. As a tax payer, I would <br /> 13 welcome raising taxes in order to fund the school districts. Many of us are actively advocating <br /> 14 for public education at the state level, but the battle to increase state funding may take several <br /> 15 years/election cycles. Please do not let our schools languish while we work to restore funding <br /> 16 from the state for public education. All citizens of Orange County--both current voters and tax <br /> 17 payers as well as future ones--thank you! <br /> 18 <br /> 19 <br /> 20 My name is Erin Dangler and I attended the budget hearing last night to support fully funding <br /> 21 education. I actually had planned to speak, but did not get on the list and at the end when it <br /> 22 was offered for people to speak up, I feared I would have been the dorky kid who had one more <br /> 23 question when the entire class was ready to go out to recess. However, I still want to share my <br /> 24 thoughts if you will so indulge me. <br /> 25 <br /> 26 My husband, Brian, and I have two children who have attended the Chapel Hill Carrboro City <br /> 27 Schools since elementary school. Both students will be attending Carrboro High School next <br /> 28 year. <br /> 29 <br /> 30 And, yet, oddly, I am not writing to you as a parent. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 1 am also an Arts Educator and a Teaching Artist in both the Orange County and CHCCS <br /> 33 School districts. Additionally, I have held a small, co-curricular position at Carrboro High School <br /> 34 as the choreographer of the musical productions for the past three years. <br /> 35 <br /> 36 And, yet, oddly, I am not writing to you as an Educator. <br /> 37 <br /> 38 1 am actually speaking to you tonight as one who owns and operates a small business in <br /> 39 Orange County. I run a program called Broadway Bound that teaches the art of musical theatre <br /> 40 to elementary and middle school children. It has been my great joy to live in an area where the <br /> 41 schools have abundant arts programs and I have found that I have become an accidental <br /> 42 partner to the school systems. <br /> 43 <br /> 44 The 450 students in grades 1 and 8 whom I teach every year in the private sector become <br /> 45 better prepared for the middle and high school theatre and music programs for which they are <br /> 46 entering. The district arts teachers and I become collaborators, as I talk to them about students <br /> 47 that may be entering their classrooms and allowing their programs to flourish. The current <br /> 48 students in the school theatre programs also become interns for me as they help run the shows <br /> 49 we put on and manage the children backstage. <br /> 50 <br /> 51 However, if the school budgets are cut, I will not be able to continue to thrive in this wonderful <br /> 52 county and town as a small business owner. <br />