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i <br /> i <br /> Employment <br /> The North Carolina Department of Commerce has estimated the percentage of unemployment in <br /> the County to be as follows : <br /> k <br /> r, <br /> 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 <br /> h <br /> January 3 . 2 % 4 . 6 % 3 . 1 % 3 . 0 % 2 . 7 % 1% <br /> February 3 . 2 4 . 3 2 . 9 2 . 9 2 . 8 1 <br /> March 4 . 01 3 . 8 2 . 7 2 . 8 <br /> April 9 . 01 3 . 5 2 . 7 2 . 5 <br /> May 8 . 21 3 . 8 3 . 1 2 . 9 I; <br /> June 7 . 4 4 . 1 3 . 4 3 . 1 1% <br /> July 6 . 8 4 . 1 3 . 6 3 . 2 1% <br /> August 5 . 0 3 . 9 3 . 6 3 . 2 <br /> September 4 . 4 3 . 1 2 . 9 2 . 8 j <br /> October 3 . 9 3 . 1 3 . 1 2 . 8 <br /> November 4 . 0 2 . 9 3 . 1 2 . 8 <br /> December 4 . 3 2 . 5 2 . 7 2 . 6 <br /> 1 Layoffs began in March, April and May due to the COVID - 19 pandemic . ;, <br /> Note : Not seasonally adjusted. <br /> Source : N . C . Department of Commerce : Labor and Economic Analysis Division. <br /> h; <br /> The County ' s unemployment rate averaged 2 . 9 % in 2023 , as compared to 3 . 5 % for the State and <br /> 3 . 6 % for the United States . <br /> Government and Major Services <br /> r <br /> c, <br /> Government Structure . The County has a commission-manager form of government with a seven- <br /> member Board of Commissioners comprising the governing body . The commissioners are elected on a <br /> partisan basis for staggered four-year terms . The County manager is appointed by and serves at the pleasure <br /> of the Board of Commissioners . The Board of Commissioners annually adopts a balanced budget and <br /> establishes a tax rate for the support of the County ' s programs . The County Manager has the responsibility <br /> of administering these programs in accordance with the policies and the annual budget adopted by the Board <br /> of Commissioners . <br /> Education . Two separate school administrative units , Chapel Hill- Carrboro City Schools <br /> (" CHCCS ") and Orange County Schools (" OCS "), provide public education in the County . CHCCS serves <br /> the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro and a small area outside the Towns , and OCS serves the remainder <br /> of the County . CHCCS has the highest average SAT scores in the State for public school systems and its <br /> high schools have been recognized in national publications for their excellent academic performance . Non- <br /> partisan elected boards of education administer both units . ;. <br /> The State pays for the basic minimum education program for each school administrative unit . <br /> Funding for this basic program is provided by appropriations from the State Public School Fund . Additional <br /> 4 <br /> ided by special State and federal grants . The County also appropriates funds to each school <br /> funding is prov <br /> system, which provides for program expansions beyond the State basic minimum . The County has <br /> consistently maintained among the highest per pupil appropriations of any county in the State . A special <br /> school district tax is levied in CHCCS . This tax is a significant revenue source for the CHCCS system . <br /> ( See the section "Tax Information" below . ) The County Commissioners have adopted a policy of allocating �. <br /> approximately 50 % of unrestricted locally- generated revenues to public school purposes . <br /> i <br /> 31 <br />