Minutes 06-16-2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 Commissioner Jacobs said the fund balance policy change in 2011 was part of a strategy to shrink the government. He said this was an internal game played by staff with the Board. He said he is very conservative about spending money but he says there is merit to the point that the BOCC is meant to be doing something with the money contributed by the public's taxes, etc. He said it is good to review the policy especially with what the legislature is doing. Commissioner Jacobs said the Board is now talking about $2.8 million to the schools, which will be the second highest per pupil amount in that last 30 years. He said it is wrong to say that Orange County does not support schools. He said all involved need to do a better job of communicating without animosity, and that the BOCC does value education and wants the best for the schools and the students. He said he gladly accepts Commissioner Dorosin's friendly amendment. Chair McKee clarified the amendments made to the motion, noting that $1 million will come from impact fees; $1 million from the fund balance reserve, and $800,000 from the excess above the 17% fund balance reserve, which leaves about $200,000 for other projects. Commissioner Rich said she did not support this action last year because there had not been the level of discussions that has occurred over this past year. She said she feels the Board is heading in the right direction. She said it is important to have a fund balance policy and to allow the public to weigh in on it. She said she will vote this year to use funds from the fund balance, knowing that the BOCC will have a full policy discussion in the fall. Commissioner Pelissier said she would have rather voted on these items individually and she is not sure if she wants to take $1 million out of the fund balance. She said she would like the conversation to explore other options. Commissioner Pelissier said the General Assembly wants to cut taxes as well as services which sends the message that taxes are bad. She said if the BOCC continues to not raise taxes, it is promoting the same message. She said this will starve services at the County level. Commissioner Pelissier said the Board has only raised the ad valorem tax once in the last seven years. She said people are not struggling because taxes are too high but rather due to lack of livable wages. She said school staffs are the ones that recognize the services children need and teachers must be supported. She said schools offer so much more than just education. She said only half of what is being proposed is for teacher salary supplements, and she wanted to talk about increasing the property tax. Commissioner Burroughs apologized for her rhetoric and said the Board of County Commissioners has supported the schools over the years. Commissioner Burroughs said she will make a motion to increase property taxes, in order to raise another $1 million. Commissioner Price said she is supportive of Commissioner Dorosin's motion and she sees no problem taking funds from the fund balance. She said she does object to raising taxes at this point. She said the residents are getting tax increases in other ways, and that is why she is opposed to increasing the taxes. She said the revaluation is also coming in 2017. Commissioner Dorosin referred to the suggestion of changing the fund balance policy, and said if the money is in the "pot" at the start of the budget process, it is a more transparent process. He said he wanted to change the policy to make this process fair and accessible. Commissioner Dorosin referred to Commissioner Pelissier's comments about starving the government, and said he does not agree. He said the taxes in Orange County are high. He said putting funds in a savings account and then raising taxes is bad budgeting. Commissioner Pelissier said she did not say that the BOCC is starving the government now, but the County is shifting that way with the processes being implemented now. Commissioner Jacobs said taxes were raised the first 10 years he was on the Board to support the schools, then stopped at the recession. He said the Board has been responsive to