County's Needs Are Paramount

On Nov. 6, Orange County voters will be asked to approve a $75 million bond referendum for much needed capital improvements.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners has set spending limits in specific categories to earmark the money. School spending was set at $47 million, $20 million for parks and recreation, $4 million for two senior centers, $4 million for affordable housing initiatives and $3 million for land preservation.

But there is some disagreement as to how to spread the money around. The drama surrounds the lion's share of the bond money: school construction and renovation. There isn't enough money to build everything the county needs -- much to the chagrin of some residents and school administrators.

Here's the situation. Two new elementary schools in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are sure to receive funding because of current overcrowding. That leaves two needs: a new high school for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools and a new middle school in Orange County.

Unfortunately, there's only enough to build one, so both school systems are jockeying to get their need met.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro school officials expect their high schools will go over capacity by the 2002-03 school year. They point out that Orange County schools will be 1,390 students under capacity by 2003.

That statistic is true but misleading. Even if they are under capacity overall, Orange County school officials estimate that their middle schools will be 134 students over capacity by the 2002-03 school year. That number is unacceptable to a school district that prides itself on attention to small classroom size.

So Orange County commissioners are left with a tough decision: Who should get what?

At a public meeting Monday night, both school districts made their cases before the commissioners, who must ultimately decide on the specific projects and the amount allocated to each by Sept. 4.

It's not really a question of whether or not the bond will get passed. I would be highly surprised if this package was rejected by voters. The last bond package for schools, parks and affordable housing passed by a wide margin in 1997 (though $4.6 million for building a senior center and other county buildings was rejected).

Education is tantamount in Orange County -- and voters are willing to pay for it.

But it is up to the county commissioners to ensure that the money is well spent. "Bond money" isn't "free money." It has to be paid back -- usually through higher taxes. This particular bond package would amount to a property tax hike of 7.3 cents per $100 valuation.

The county cannot build both a new high school and a new middle school. Which one takes priority?

The new middle school.

Next year, Orange County plans to open up Cedar Ridge High School. Orange County school officials are still a little disgruntled that they had to shoulder half of the costs of that new high school. They expect more fiscal help from the county -- and a new middle school is their due.

But that shouldn't leave the Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools high and dry. Cedar Ridge is expected to be under capacity for the next several years. Overcrowding problems in Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools can be lessened if they filter some of their students into that high school.

It's not the perfect solution, but it is a temporary one. At Monday's public hearing, County Manager John Link pointed out that $20 million to $30 million could be raised by other means, such as loans.

There are always other methods of funding, and the county still owns land viable for school construction. It will just take a little more time. But it is time that I think the high schools in Chapel Hill can afford.

The commissioners' decision next week will undoubtedly piss people off. But they have to weigh the needs of the county and make the most fiscally responsible move.

Columnist Jonathan Chaney can be reached at jhchaney@email.unc.edu.