Agenda - 05-26-1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orange County Commissioners May 26, 1992 Proposed Impact Fee Ordinance The separate school districts - according to the Impact Fee technical report - have identified the need for 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high school for the period between now and 1997 -8. The enrollment estimates - when combined - show the need for 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high school between now and the end of the decade. Three schools not 6. I have included graphs showing the information on enrollments, school capacities, etc with this letter. There may be reasons such as obsolete existing facilities and the need for expanded support facili- ties that make the provision of 4 to 6 schools desirable. But on the basis of growth in enrollments three schools, not 6 are needed. It seems obvious to me that the taxpayers and children of this county would be better served by three first class schools with all the needed facilities - rather than scaled back facilities as proposed for the new Chapel Hill - Carrboro middle school. And, it seems to me that we would be much better off doing so in a consolidated school district for the entire county. Lastly, with regard to raising funds for schools with impact fees. If impact fees are to be enacted, please note that you are projecting income from development activities that you have overestimated by at least 100%. Applying the growth rate of the 80's to the 90's is just plain silly. First the base for the rate has changed dramatically. Second, the rate of development of the last 5 years is less than half the rate projected in the Impact Fee report for the remainder of the decade. Again, I have included information & charts showing this data. As a resident taxpayer - I have bought two existing home during the last four years, not new homes, I do not want basic or optional parts of the school system financed by funds based on es- timates as specious as those in the Impact Fee report. Nor do I want to depend upon a cyclical housing market in general to be providing the extras I deem to be important for education. We can afford to do it the right way. If we need 50 Million lets vote for it, and lets have the nerve to put our needs and wants on the ballot. If we need 60 Million lets explain it. If we need 70 Million lets explain it. The difference between 50 and 70 Million is about $14 per year for the average home in the county. Lets not get sidetracked with trying to stick it to newcomers. The education of our children is too important to continue a system in which two school districts can request 100% more than necessary based on projected enrollments and in which county com- missioners with separate budget and tax authority don't have the ability or nerve to put the whole issue up for a vote. Professionally, I have gone through this town - county split district situation several times. If you want to continue with conflict, split loyalties, and political fences you can keep this system. But for me, I would rather try to build one better education community rather than two lesser education communities. Sincerely, Scott way SOR/rcc: Impact Fee File encl: misc