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26 <br /> 1 Commissioner Greene agreed with Commissioner Bedford and said the County Manager <br /> 2 presented as bare bones of a budget as he could. She asked if debt makes up .85 cents out of the 3.75 <br /> 3 cents recommended increase. <br /> 4 Travis Myren said it was debt and pay-go. <br /> 5 Commissioner Greene said it is remarkable that he got the increase down to .85 cents. She said <br /> 6 further reductions are the Board's job. <br /> 7 Vice-Chair Fowler agreed with Commissioner Greene and Commissioner Bedford. She said she <br /> 8 would not like to lose staff to other communities. <br /> 9 Chair Hamilton said there will be other opportunities to discuss the budget. She clarified that the <br /> 10 amendment process will still happen, but the request is for staff to use their expertise to create scenarios <br /> 11 of lower and no tax rate increases, and what the tradeoffs are. She said the scenarios give the Board <br /> 12 information, but they would still be making any changes. <br /> 13 Vice-Chair Fowler said the Board should lead on where those cuts should come from.She said the <br /> 14 County Manager has already made choices on what was best for the budget. <br /> 15 Chair Hamilton said she felt this was an appropriate request of the County Manager. She said the <br /> 16 Board can develop their own scenarios in the form of amendments. <br /> 17 Commissioner McKee gave his reasons for requesting the scenarios from the County Manager. He <br /> 18 felt this situation will repeat itself in future years. <br /> 19 Chair Hamilton asked how many commissioners supported a scenario showing zero cents and a <br /> 20 scenario showing 2 cents. Commissioner McKee,Commissioner Carter,Chair Hamilton,and Commissioner <br /> 21 Portie-Ascott supported both scenarios. <br /> 22 Travis Myren said he could bring back packages of the cost of things that equate to the reductions. <br /> 23 He said that at the end of the day,this will come back down to what the Board values,and he cannot make <br /> 24 those value judgments for the Board. He said it will be a reduction in services. <br /> 25 Chair Hamilton reviewed the budget calendar. <br /> 26 Commissioner Bedford said that commissioners should submit budget amendments before the <br /> 27 final budget public hearing. <br /> 28 Chair Hamilton suggested that the Board submit amendments by Tuesday, May 26, 2026. <br /> 29 Commissioner Bedford requested by 10 am on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. <br /> 30 Commissioner Greene asked how the County Manager would create a package of cuts. <br /> 31 Travis Myren said he would put together groups of discretionary spending for the Board to review. <br /> 32 Commissioner Greene clarified that the amendments would be to the County Manager's <br /> 33 recommended budget. <br /> 34 Commissioner Bedford asked if school funding would be on the table. <br /> 35 Travis Myren said his assumption is that current expense is on the table. <br /> 36 Chair Hamilton said everything can be there and the Board will decide. <br /> 37 Commissioner McKee said this will be a difficult process, but their job is to make hard decisions, <br /> 38 whether or not they are popular. He said it's important to keep Orange County as a place where people <br /> 39 can afford to live. <br /> 40 <br /> 41 5. Public Hearings <br /> 42 a. Public Hearing on the Financing of Various Capital Investment Plan Projects <br /> 43 The Board conducted a public hearing on financing contracts for up to approximately$60.8 million to pay <br /> 44 for capital investment projects and equipment for the fiscal year, and consider approving a related <br /> 45 resolution supporting the County's application to the Local Government Commission (LGC)for its approval <br /> 46 of the financing arrangements.The financing and transaction costs will be included in the loan amount. <br /> 47 <br />