Agenda - 09-06-2016 - 6-a - Minutes

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6 1 of communicating without animosity, and that the BOCC does value education and wants the 2 best for the schools and the students. He said he gladly accepts Commissioner Dorosin's 3 friendly amendment. 4 Chair McKee clarified the amendments made to the motion, noting that $1 million will 5 come from impact fees; $1 million from the fund balance reserve, and $800,000 from the 6 excess above the 17% fund balance reserve, which leaves about $200,000 for other projects. 7 Commissioner Rich said she did not support this action last year because there had not 8 been the level of discussions that has occurred over this past year. She said she feels the 9 Board is heading in the right direction. She said it is important to have a fund balance policy 10 and to allow the public to weigh in on it. She said she will vote this year to use funds from the 11 fund balance, knowing that the BOCC will have a full policy discussion in the fall. 12 Commissioner Pelissier said she would have rather voted on these items individually 13 and she is not sure if she wants to take $1 million out of the fund balance. She said she would 14 like the conversation to explore other options. 15 Commissioner Pelissier said the General Assembly wants to cut taxes as well as 16 services which sends the message that taxes are bad. She said if the BOCC continues to not 17 raise taxes, it is promoting the same message. She said this will starve services at the County 18 level. 19 Commissioner Pelissier said the Board has only raised the ad valorem tax once in the 20 last seven years. She said people are not struggling because taxes are too high but rather due 21 to lack of livable wages. She said school staffs are the ones that recognize the services 22 children need and teachers must be supported. She said schools offer so much more than just 23 education. She said only half of what is being proposed is for teacher salary supplements, and 24 she wanted to talk about increasing the property tax. 25 Commissioner Burroughs apologized for her rhetoric and said the Board of County 26 Commissioners has supported the schools over the years. 27 Commissioner Burroughs said she will make a motion to increase property taxes, in 28 order to raise another$1 million. 29 Commissioner Price said she is supportive of Commissioner Dorosin's motion and she 30 sees no problem taking funds from the fund balance. She said she does object to raising taxes 31 at this point. She said the residents are getting tax increases in other ways, and that is why she 32 is opposed to increasing the taxes. She said the revaluation is also coming in 2017. 33 Commissioner Dorosin referred to the suggestion of changing the fund balance policy, 34 and said if the money is in the "pot" at the start of the budget process, it is a more transparent 35 process. He said he wanted to change the policy to make this process fair and accessible. 36 Commissioner Dorosin referred to Commissioner Pelissier's comments about starving 37 the government, and said he does not agree. He said the taxes in Orange County are high. He 38 said putting funds in a savings account and then raising taxes is bad budgeting. 39 Commissioner Pelissier said she did not say that the BOCC is starving the government 40 now, but the County is shifting that way with the processes being implemented now. 41 Commissioner Jacobs said taxes were raised the first 10 years he was on the Board to 42 support the schools, then stopped at the recession. He said the Board has been responsive to 43 changing circumstances. He said with the effects of the revaluation next year, a new fund 44 balance policy, and the proposed bond, it is more than likely the Board will raise taxes soon. 45 He said he feels comfortable doing what is proposed and then working this next year, including 46 the schools, to come up with a 5-year comprehensive management plan. 47 Commissioner Burroughs said she supports Commissioner Jacobs' and Commissioner 48 Dorosin's motions. She said the County is doing a great deal of good and necessary things, 49 which she supports. She said if the Board is really concerned about raising taxes this year