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1 <br />2 <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 <br />6 <br />7 <br />8 <br />9 <br />10 <br />11 <br />12 <br />13 <br />14 <br />15 <br />16 <br />17 <br />18 <br />19 <br />20 <br />21 <br />22 <br />23 <br />24 <br />25 <br />26 <br />27 <br />28 <br />29 <br />30 <br />31 <br />32 <br />33 <br />34 <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />39 <br />40 <br />41 <br />42 <br />43 <br />44 <br />45 <br />46 <br />47 <br />48 <br />49 <br />50 <br />51 <br />52 <br />on the tax and the media would expand <br />Commissioner Marshall noted <br />increased programming in the schools <br />respond to and she supports a November <br />John Link stated that the <br />referendum and have the tax included i <br />March. <br />on this topic. <br />that the citizens <br />is something the <br />7 <br />desire to have <br />Board should <br />vote. <br />last possible time to vote on a <br />n the budget for 1991 -92 would be <br />Commissioner Halkiotis expressed concern about some of the <br />strategies that the politicians may use for winning in November. He <br />feels it may be better to wait until March and have a special election. <br />County School Board member Kay Singer expressed her concern <br />for holding the referendum in November. Among other things their school <br />system will be interviewing for a new superintendent which will take a <br />lot of their time. They are willing to work hard to promote a district - <br />wide tax in March. <br />Chairman Carey indicated that if the referendum is delayed, <br />a decision needs to be made within the next few weeks about the March <br />date. He previously favored putting it on in November but felt that to <br />some extent that might have an adverse effect on the outcome. <br />Commissioner Willhoit stated he is not opposed to the county- <br />wide district tax but he is opposed to the process. He feels that the <br />use for the money must be defined before the tax can be promoted and <br />explained to the people. He stated the possible outcomes of the <br />election and emphasized the need to be ready to respond to that outcome. <br />He questioned if this is an attempt to phase out the district tax over <br />time by shifting funds to a county -wide tax. He asked if the expansion <br />items in next years budget would become continuation items in the <br />following years budget. He feels there needs to be a determination on <br />how the tax will be managed and the purpose defined. After, these <br />questions are answered, he would approve a special referendum in the <br />spring or in November, 1991. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis emphasized the importance of having <br />the support of the teacher associations for both school systems. <br />Commissioner Marshall noted that the Board has been talking <br />for several years about multi -year budgets from the school boards, <br />particularly on expansion programs. If the County Commissioners and the <br />School Boards could agree on some management policies, it would help in <br />knowing what continuation money would be necessary for a three year <br />period. <br />Commissioner Willhoit stated he feels the question is how to <br />move forward with two school systems -- whether it is toward equal <br />County funding, equal total funding of State, Federal and County, or <br />whether it is toward merger. <br />It was the consensus of the Board to wait until the spring <br />to put the referendum on the ballot. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by <br />Commissioner Marshall to work everything out within the next four or <br />five weeks to put the referendum before the people in early March. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />NOTE: COMMISSIONER JOHN HARTWELL WAS EXCUSED FROM THE MEETING <br />