In a 4-2 vote on Tuesday, Orange County Commissioners indicated that next year’s bond referendum will focus solely on school repairs.

“What is the overriding and overarching need in Orange County? In my opinion, that overarching need is schools,” said Board Chair Earl McKee.

He and the majority of commissioners favored a $125 million dollar bond package that would go to fund school repairs and renovations, instead of a proposal to split the funds between schools, parks, affordable housing and other projects.

The Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro school systems have estimated they need as much as $300 million to fully fix aging schools and expand capacity throughout the two districts.

While all commissioners agreed they are committed to funding school needs, Barry Jacobs and Penny Rich opposed a single-item bond package, saying other county needs should be addressed as well.

Jacobs suggested the county should poll residents about their funding priorities, a notion that the majority of the board ignored.

“My comment, since it’s obvious what the majority of the board thinks, is addressed to the residents of Orange County. I think this decision shortchanges you,” said Jacobs. “There’s no reason to be afraid to hear what your opinions are. I think you’re discriminating enough to be able to differentiate what your opinions are and be able to tell elected officials. I think a mono-chromatic bond is a bad idea.”

Commissioner Mia Burroughs argued the discussion of funding an affordable housing initiative was premature.

“I had entertained for some period of time that maybe we’d like to do something about housing, but I don’t think we have a gelled idea, that idea hasn’t cooked enough to be able to do that in this format,” said Burroughs.

Though some on the board suggested future bonds might be used for affordable housing, Rich countered that Orange County residents would not look kindly on multiple bond referendums down the road.

“I think at some point our citizens will get bond fatigue,” said Rich. “I think we’ll have bond fatigue after the Chapel Hill [bond] and then moving into this bond. So, the idea that we could always have another bond, I think that’s not something that would go well with our citizens.”

Chapel Hill voters will see a $40 million bond package on the 2015 municipal ballot. Orange County’s will appear on the ballot in 2016. If voters approve the countywide referendum next year, it will add slightly less than five cents to the property tax rate.

Commissioners will meet with school officials next week.

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