Orange County NC Website
5 <br /> Representative Insko said voter ID for college students is a problem too. <br /> Commissioner Greene referred to item #16, bona fide farm use, and asked if there is <br /> non-partisan support for this. <br /> Senator Foushee said this is a very controversial issue in the Senate. She said she had <br /> worked on this in the last session, and one of the Senators is no longer serving. <br /> Representative Meyer said they thought they had some progress on this in 2017, but <br /> they had three meetings in the interim and this did not come up. He said Senator Jackson and <br /> Representative Dixon do not believe the government should be able to tell someone what they <br /> can do on their land. <br /> Representative Insko asked if the County could explain the problem with refunding the <br /> Machinery act. <br /> John Roberts said to fix judgement errors, and this has been on the list for years. <br /> John Roberts said assessors measure a house, and measure it twice the size; they <br /> cannot refund the tax. <br /> Chair Rich said this happened to her, and she paid $14,000 excess tax over ten years. <br /> Representative Insko said this problem needs solving. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said there are various issues on school education funding: use of <br /> private taxes, surplus in voucher funds, etc. He asked if these funds can be used in other ways. <br /> Representative Meyer said he sees no significant increases in education funding. He <br /> said there will be a bill introduced to take surplus voucher money and put in school capital <br /> funding, but this will not pass. He said the best-case scenario is around putting more money <br /> into facilities and limited increases in teachers' pay and other issues. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin asked if the pay-as-you-go funds could be described, and if it is <br /> dependent on future legislators continuing to fund it. <br /> Representative Meyer said it is a promise without a binding mechanism, and until 2008 <br /> 7.25% of corporate tax went into a school facilities fund. <br /> Representative Insko said over the years, she thinks $4 billion has been taken out of the <br /> revenue stream. <br /> Representative Meyer said they have taken out $3 billion out of revenue stream. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin referred to Pre-K, and asked if there is a possibility to expand it. <br /> Representative Insko said Republicans have come around on early childhood education <br /> and early intervention. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin asked if this will result in more funding. <br /> Representative Insko said probably so. <br /> Chair Rich asked if there is a place to put these children. <br /> Representative Insko said Pre-K can be done in the private sector. She said they are <br /> losing their childhood work groups. <br /> Commissioner McKee asked if there is any discussion of picking up costs for charter <br /> schools. <br /> Representative Meyer said yes. <br /> Senator Foushee said there is one senator pushing it, but it does not have large support. <br /> Representative Meyer said the charter school issues come up at the end of their <br /> sessions in May. <br /> Commissioner Greene asked if that is a successful strategy. <br /> Representative Meyer said no. <br /> Commissioner Price asked if there is any chance of putting money into the census. <br /> Representative Insko said no, they do not have the money. <br /> Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there are any bills that they can speak on. <br /> Representative Meyer said school safety bills just passed, and there may be increased <br /> education spending for social workers, nurses, counselors, etc. He said the school safety <br />