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11 <br /> said she believes the district tax to be fair if the Board is fully funding the needs of OCS <br /> students, and those are needs are determined by the democratically elected OCS school board, <br /> and the willingness of the OCS taxpayers to pay. She said she sees no problem, if residents <br /> want to pay more for the "extras". She said the districts have collaborated well, and there is <br /> room for more growth in the future. <br /> Commissioner Bedford said the County also does not need to call attention from the <br /> General Assembly (GA) until after the 2020 elections. She said the district tax has been in <br /> place since 1909, and the GA can abolish it instantly. <br /> Commissioner Greene said she respected Commissioner Dorosin' proposal, and agrees <br /> with the need to discuss the question of equity, but Commissioner Marcoplos is making a good <br /> point that there is a bigger conversation that needs to take place. She said she is not sure what <br /> the parents in OCS feels about the schools and additional taxes, and maybe the Board needs to <br /> reengage this conversation. <br /> Commissioner Price said she liked this proposal, but it is too early for the Board to make <br /> a decision tonight, and the school boards need to be involved in discussion. She said the Board <br /> does need to do something about the inequity, and the landscape has changed since 2006 and <br /> thus an updated conversation is warranted. She said it has always been strange to her to have <br /> two school districts vying for the same funding. <br /> Chair Rich said Commissioner Dorosin has been trying for years to find an equitable way <br /> to fund the schools. She said she has heard from people that live in the County who are not in <br /> favor of this. She said it is time to engage the parents of OCS, and to find out what their focus <br /> is. She would like to bring this question to the school collaboration. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said he appreciated the Board's remarks, but he will insist that <br /> this conversation keep going, and to reevaluate the needs and the changing demographics in <br /> OCS. He said the Board must make this a more critical issue, especially due to the increase of <br /> low-income and ESL students in OCS and the "white flight" to charter schools. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said the per pupil allocation from the County would go up for both <br /> school districts. He said in CHCCS, with the reduction in the special district tax, the total per <br /> pupil for CHCCS would stay the same. He said the OCS per pupil would go up. He agreed <br /> getting information from residents is important, but wonders if the Board really thinks it costs <br /> $2000 more in one district, as opposed to another district. He said he did not think so, but the <br /> Board needs to justify this to all residents in the County. <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Dorosin to approve Amendments 003, 004, 005, <br /> 006. <br /> NO SECOND <br /> MOTION FAILS <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner McKee, seconded by Commissioner Greene to <br /> reject amendments— 003, 004, 005, 006. <br /> Chair Rich said she would like to work with Commissioner Dorosin to put a timeframe on <br /> this discussion. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said he would like to draw other BOCC members into that <br /> discussion as well. <br /> VOTE: Ayes, 6; Nays, 1 (Commissioner Dorosin) <br />