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7 <br />the County tax base because it raises the property evaluation. He feels that <br />there must be a better way to raise money and that a lot more time is <br />required to set up this program. <br />JOHNNY KENNEDY spoke in opposition of this fee. <br />CONNIE SHUPING spoke as a member of the Chapel Hill Board of <br />Realtors. She stated that no one is against more or better schools but that <br />they should be paid for by all the people because it benefits all the people. <br />She opposes the fee. She referred to a city where these fees were <br />implemented and stated that housing starts fell drastically. This fee will <br />have an impact on affordable housing. Both existing and new home owners pay <br />property taxes. She asked that the Board of County Commissioners think about <br />this issue and provide enough time to study it thoroughly. <br />R. ALEXANDER ZAFFRE asked that the Board of Commissioners take a <br />stand for fair and equitable housing. He asked how many will not be able to <br />own a home because of this fee. This systematically takes away the <br />opportunities for the middle class -- working class of people. <br />VERN MILLER stated that his parents worked and paid taxes to live <br />in the County to pay for the schools. He questioned taxing a person who has <br />lived here all their lives as well as one who is moving into the County. <br />Also, he feels that the County should fund the schools first and then <br />everything else. He feels that the implementation of impact fees is complex. <br />He asked how they justify placing the entire cost of a school on the first <br />500 students in that school. In terms of social programs, he has a problem <br />with what is his fair share. The table must take into account some of the <br />general revenue that the County receives. <br />LARRY CARROLL spoke on behalf of the Homebuilders Association of <br />Hillsborough and Chapel Hill. He stated that impact fees will increase the <br />cost of housing. Construction workers do add to the tax base. Parents have <br />been paying taxes and if they decide to build a new home must then pay <br />additional taxes. <br />HENRY WHITFIELD stated his support to raise taxes. He is upset <br />about impact fees. He made reference to OWASA and the high cost of <br />availability fees they charge. He asked the Board to forget impact fees <br />stating that they are not fair and do not spread out the costs across the <br />population. He asked that the Board of County Commissioners look at the <br />expenditures for the schools and raise taxes instead of implementing impact <br />fees. <br />MAX KENNEDY spoke against the impact fees. He understand that <br />there is about an $800,000 shortfall in the County budget this year. The <br />impact tax is regressive. The building industry is just coming out of a <br />depression. The fee is presented to raise money for the schools. This <br />discussion is another nail in the coffin for the school bond issue. <br />Nothing has happened with the one million dollar bond passed by the County <br />in 1988 for water. The economic impact of many of the fees and requirements <br />on the docket have caused housing costs to increase. There are less and less <br />