Petition to Fund OCS and CHCCS Schools
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Brian Link
Jun 8, 2022, 8:06:12 AM6/8/22
to ocb...@orangecountync.gov
Dear Members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners,
First, thank you again to those commissioners who proposed amendments to the county manager's budget which seek to increase funding for both OCS and CHCCS by a collective total of $2.2 million. We support each amendment and urge you as a body to adopt every one.
When considering said amendments, moreover, please remember the voices of many in our community who showed up on May 10th and June 2nd, as well as the 500+ individuals who are voters, parents, students, and employees who have added their name to the petition below who want you to do even more this year. Specifically, to fully fund each school system's requested budget.
While we understand that ask is not up for debate at your work session Thursday, we do hope these collective voices resonate with you and inform your discussion on the amendments that are up for a vote. Likewise, we hope the knowledge of other districts who have already acted boldy this year inspire you as well:
As always, thank you for tireless service to our community -- please know we also support your efforts to create a park and extend library hours.-- and, in particular, for providing for our kids and our public schools.
Sincerely,
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Association of Educators
PETITION:
WHEREAS, expected County general fund revenues are budgeted to increase over 7%, or $16.7M next year while schools (OCS and CHCCS) under the county manager's proposed budget are, after ADM adjustments, only scheduled to receive ~25% of that increase under the County Manager's proposed budget;
WHEREAS, the County already has collected $6million more in sales taxes last year than what was previously projected;
WHEREAS, the County has allocated ZERO of its ARPA funds to schools to date;
WHEREAS, the proposed 1.25 cent property tax increase in the County Manager's budget for FY22'-23' covers only half of the additional (continuation) operating costs OCS and CHCCS face;
WHEREAS, the proposed 1.25 cent property tax increase is less than the rate of inflation over the last twelve months (8.5% YoY);
WHEREAS, the largest projected decrease in County Debt Service this year is attributable to school debt;
WHEREAS, total recommended expenditure increases in the proposed County Manager's budget are less than the rate of inflation;
WHEREAS, total recommend school funding, is 47.1% of the County Manager's Proposed Budget, one 1% below the Commission's own education target, approximately 2% below the historical average of Commission spending on education over the last decade, and 5% percent below the percentage the County Manager in Wake is recommending;
WHEREAS, the recommended $ "increase" for CHCCS for FY 22'-23 in the County Manager's budget is inclusive of sales tax revenue previously allocated during the FY 21' - 22' by the Commission specifically for social emotional learning, which CHCCS has begun to faithfully execute and therefore already allocated and not available to address compensation;
WHEREAS, the education portion of Wake County Manager's Proposed Budget increases by 6.5% as compared to the current 3% proposed increase in Orange Education Budget
WHEREAS, county employees will actually receive a 3% raise and new benefits under the County Manager's plan if adopted as is while school employees in both systems may not;
WHEREAS, county employees and many state employees, including those at UNC-CH, and those employed by private entities have paid family leave as an employment benefit while school employees do not;
WHEREAS, all the requested budgeting by both OCS and CHCCS is tied to employee compensation;
WHEREAS, CHCCS is proposing to raise certified pay, classified pay, EC pay, and introduce a new parental leave benefit;
WHEREAS, expected County general fund revenues are budgeted to increase over 7%, or $16.7M next year while schools (OCS and CHCCS) under the county manager's proposed budget are, after ADM adjustments, only scheduled to receive ~25% of that increase under the County Manager's proposed budget;
WHEREAS, the County already has collected $6million more in sales taxes last year than what was previously projected;
WHEREAS, the County has allocated ZERO of its ARPA funds to schools to date;
WHEREAS, the proposed 1.25 cent property tax increase in the County Manager's budget for FY22'-23' covers only half of the additional (continuation) operating costs OCS and CHCCS face;
WHEREAS, the proposed 1.25 cent property tax increase is less than the rate of inflation over the last twelve months (8.5% YoY);
WHEREAS, the largest projected decrease in County Debt Service this year is attributable to school debt;
WHEREAS, total recommended expenditure increases in the proposed County Manager's budget are less than the rate of inflation;
WHEREAS, total recommend school funding, is 47.1% of the County Manager's Proposed Budget, one 1% below the Commission's own education target, approximately 2% below the historical average of Commission spending on education over the last decade, and 5% percent below the percentage the County Manager in Wake is recommending;
WHEREAS, the recommended $ "increase" for CHCCS for FY 22'-23 in the County Manager's budget is inclusive of sales tax revenue previously allocated during the FY 21' - 22' by the Commission specifically for social emotional learning, which CHCCS has begun to faithfully execute and therefore already allocated and not available to address compensation;
WHEREAS, the education portion of Wake County Manager's Proposed Budget increases by 6.5% as compared to the current 3% proposed increase in Orange Education Budget
WHEREAS, county employees will actually receive a 3% raise and new benefits under the County Manager's plan if adopted as is while school employees in both systems may not;
WHEREAS, county employees and many state employees, including those at UNC-CH, and those employed by private entities have paid family leave as an employment benefit while school employees do not;
WHEREAS, all the requested budgeting by both OCS and CHCCS is tied to employee compensation;
WHEREAS, CHCCS is proposing to raise certified pay, classified pay, EC pay, and introduce a new parental leave benefit;
WHEREAS, OCS is proposing to raise classified pay, EC pay, and restore Masters Pay;
WHEREAS, CHCCS' continuation budget ensures all employees receive at least a Living Wage;
WHEREAS, CHCCS and OCS' classified employees are grossly underpaid compared to market rates in both the private sector and surrounding public sector jobs;
WHEREAS, CHCCS and OCS" faces unprecedented unfilled classrooms due to certified vacancies;
WHEREAS, CHCCS and OCS' certified pay for employees, especially EC staff and beginning teachers, is below other districts like Wake with whom we compete for talent and to whom CHCCS have lost more staff to than any other district;
WHEREAS, CHCCS' employees have for years requested paid family leave for its almost 80% female staff;
WHEREAS, the special district tax for Chapel-Hill Carrboro City Schools hasn't been raised by the Commission in more than a decade;
WHEREAS, the rate per $100 on the special district tax (18.5 cents) is the lowest it's been in more than 2 decades;
THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED, that we, the undersigned, support fully funding Dr. Hamlett and the CHCCS's Boards continuation and expansion budget requests;
Be it further RESOLVED, that we urge the County Commission to value educators and what they have gone through by revising the County Manager's Budget to fully fund both OCS' and CHCCS's schools via one, some or all of the following: allocating unassigned revenue and/or reallocating recurring revenue; further increasing the proposed property tax raise; and/or agreeing to raise the Chapel Hill-Carrboro's special district tax.for the first time in more than decade
WHEREAS, CHCCS' continuation budget ensures all employees receive at least a Living Wage;
WHEREAS, CHCCS and OCS' classified employees are grossly underpaid compared to market rates in both the private sector and surrounding public sector jobs;
WHEREAS, CHCCS and OCS" faces unprecedented unfilled classrooms due to certified vacancies;
WHEREAS, CHCCS and OCS' certified pay for employees, especially EC staff and beginning teachers, is below other districts like Wake with whom we compete for talent and to whom CHCCS have lost more staff to than any other district;
WHEREAS, CHCCS' employees have for years requested paid family leave for its almost 80% female staff;
WHEREAS, the special district tax for Chapel-Hill Carrboro City Schools hasn't been raised by the Commission in more than a decade;
WHEREAS, the rate per $100 on the special district tax (18.5 cents) is the lowest it's been in more than 2 decades;
THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED, that we, the undersigned, support fully funding Dr. Hamlett and the CHCCS's Boards continuation and expansion budget requests;
Be it further RESOLVED, that we urge the County Commission to value educators and what they have gone through by revising the County Manager's Budget to fully fund both OCS' and CHCCS's schools via one, some or all of the following: allocating unassigned revenue and/or reallocating recurring revenue; further increasing the proposed property tax raise; and/or agreeing to raise the Chapel Hill-Carrboro's special district tax.for the first time in more than decade
Signed:
All mail correspondence to and from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law, which may result in monitoring and disclosure to third parties, including law enforcement.
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