Minutes 05-13-2025-Budget Public Hearing/Work Session

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10 think of ways to fund some of the expansion budget. She said the best investment the Board can make is in its children and by giving the educators all they need to educate. She said the PTAs have pledged to advocate at the state level for additional funding for schools. She asked the Board to do everything they can to meet the needs of the schools in Orange County for 2025. Terri Buckner said she was gratified to hear the Board's conversation after the manager's presentation of the budget. She said it was very clear how much they care. She said that she came to present ideas. She said that she is likely the minority opinion in the room but noted that the happiest days of her career were as an educator teaching teachers how to be teachers. She said she has a short-term and a long-term suggestion. She asked the Board to postpone capital funding for the schools. She said they already spend 39.4% on the schools and that is in addition to the district tax. She said that one international study recommends 15-20% spent on education as a target. She said that shows how far out of balance they are. She said long-term, she suggests there is a public-school funding task force to get the schools back on fiscal track. She said there are a lot of smart people in this community that can work on this issue. She said there are many needs, including housing and other social services and those cannot be put off for education. Julie Werry said she has kids at Culbreth and Rashkis and serves at both schools' PTAs. She said she sees death by 1000 cuts. She said her family chose to move here because of public schools and it feels like the things that makes CHCCS so special are being taken away. She said her eighth grader has not had a math teacher all year. She said her younger child has experienced the cuts to TA's that another student talked about. She said she knows the Board supports public education and she encouraged the Board to fully fund the continuation budget and try to fund the expansion budget. William Madden said he appreciates the Commissioners and what they do. He said when it comes to funding for schools, the state legislators are the reason there is a gap, and it will likely continue to be that way. He said he wants to encourage other people to serve in Emergency Services. He said he stopped EMT about a decade ago. He said it helped him to serve people that were in great need. He asked about a program next month that encourages girls 9-12 to serve in Emergency Services. He said this program is supported by the state and several counties. He asked how this comports with the county's non-discrimination policy on sex and gender. Kari Hamel asked the Board to fully fund the continuation and expansion budgets for both school districts. She said that 50% of student body living in low-income households. The Board is responsible for the one meal that many students eat in a day. She encouraged them all to go to a school cafeteria and watch kids eat, to media centers and watch them read, and she asked the Board to have conversations before the second to last meeting. She asked that they fully fund the budget. Kristina Smith said she is a member of the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition and previously worked at CEF. She said she is a dual student of law and social work at UNC. She said it is more important than ever that the Board continue to invest in the most vulnerable residents. She said it is imperative that children and families in OC have the resources to keep a roof over their head. She said that taxes are needed to cover these services, but increases do not impact everyone equally. She said that older homes in historically Black areas are being overvalued compared to newer homes in the same neighborhood, disproportionately impacting older Black residents. She said that if the county can provide home repair funds, it keeps people in their homes. She asked said there are too many people living unhoused in the community. Jackie Jenks, Executive Director of IFC, thanked the Board for this budget and said they have a difficult job on their hands in deciding what to fund. She said she is also a parent of three kids in the school system. She said that IFC is part of the partnership to end homelessness and they offer the only year-round shelter in the county. She said that they provide permanent supportive housing for 21 households currently and will be adding to that. She said they offer the only free hot meals in the county and free groceries through the community market. She said the