Agenda 09-03-19 Item 8-a - Minutes

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11 1 A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Greene to 2 reject amendments — 003, 004, 005, 006. 3 4 Chair Rich said she would like to work with Commissioner Dorosin to put a timeframe on 5 this discussion. 6 Commissioner Dorosin said he would like to draw other BOCC members into that 7 discussion as well. 8 9 VOTE: Ayes, 6; Nays, 1 (Commissioner Dorosin) 10 11 Amendments # 7 (Increase the ad valorem tax by 1.066 cents for education allocated by 12 ADM) and # 8 (Increase Current Expense Allocation to Schools by ADM CHCCS - 13 $1,202,852 and OCS - $797,132 14 15 Commissioner Bedford said she is proposing 1.066-cent increase to the ad valorem tax 16 to fully fund OCS budget request. She said the state is not going to do a 3% salary increase for 17 classified staff, but rather is offering 1% or$500, whichever is greater. She said the BOCC has 18 done all it can to support education in Orange County, but the recession and changes in the GA 19 have lead to the state leading an intentional decimation of public education. She said 2 years 20 ago, OCS cut 29 positions, 19 of which were to balance the local budget and class sizes in 21 grades 4-8 were increased to 1:27 students. She said OCS office staff was also greatly 22 reduced at that time. She said OCS is about to embark on some equity training, but the 23 classified staff not being paid for teacher workdays seems counter intuitive. She said her 24 proposal will not allow for CHCCS to meet its continuation budget, but it is a step in the right 25 direction. She said she recognizes that it is still a tax increase, and does not want to unduly 26 burden residents, but feels this will be money well spent. 27 Commissioner McKee asked if the Manager's recommended amount for OPED could be 28 identified. 29 Bonnie Hammersley said she is recommending adding $250,000 to OPED. 30 Commissioner McKee asked if Commissioner Bedford would be amenable to 31 transferring the OPED monies to the schools, instead of increasing the tax. 32 Commissioner Bedford said every bit helps. 33 Commissioner Dorosin said he appreciated this proposal, and if the goal was to help 34 OCS then his amendment would have done that. He appreciated Commissioner Bedford's 35 analysis, but this problem is about getting all of the schools more money not just OCS. 36 Commissioner Marcoplos said he could support Commissioner McKee's 37 recommendation. 38 Commissioner McKee said it would amend the amendment to distribute $250,000 from 39 OPED allocation to distribution on the ADM for the school districts. He said it would not be an 40 additional cost to the budget. 41 Commissioner Greene said Commissioner Bedford's amendment would yield about $2 42 million, and Commissioner McKee's would be $250,000. She said these two numbers are not 43 even close, and she does not get the rationale. 44 Commissioner McKee said Orange County is 7t" highest taxing county in the state, and 45 this is driving many residents out, and not just low-income residents. He said he is adamantly 46 opposed to continuing to add tax, on top of tax, on top of tax, as the residents cannot sustain it. 47 Commissioner McKee said until, and unless, these school boards address the disparities 48 and outcomes and the flight in OCS to charters, he may well stop supporting any more funding 49 to the schools. He said CHCCS has the highest disparity in the nation, and OCS has 10% of 50 children in charter schools. He said he is too old to care if he is re-elected, but he is not too old 51 to care about these kids.