Orange County took the first steps toward getting a budget approved for the coming fiscal year as manager Bonnie Hammersley presented her recommendations to the Board of Commissioners Thursday night.

Commissioner Mia Burroughs encouraged the public to remember that this budget is currently a work-in-progress and nothing is finalized yet.

“I’d encourage advocates who might be around listening to remember that this is an offering,” she said. “We’re going to build on it, and I really, really appreciate that tone.”

Hammersley said the budget she presented will not raise county taxes, but the size of the budget will increase from last fiscal year due to an increase in population.

It will be approved ahead of the upcoming bond referendum in the fall, which if passed, would be the largest in county history.

“It is not included in this because it would not impact fiscal year ’16-’17,” Hammersley said. “But that is a consideration going forward on the tax rate.”

One of the big issues as the county moves forward is the funding for both the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro school districts.

While always an important issue, this year both districts have asked for a funding increase to raise teacher pay, CHCCS has already to committed to paying $4.5 million, regardless of what the commissioners decide.

Orange County Schools is asking for an additional $1.7 million for teacher pay.

“It’s not what they asked for,” Burroughs said. “And that is fine. That is fine for an offering. We’ll be working on it.”

Hammersley’s recommendation will give the CHCCS an additional $1.7 million dollars, while Orange County Schools gets $975,000.

But it wasn’t all bad news as the county looked to relieve some funding pressure by covering all costs related to the systems’ health and safety contracts.

“The county contribution currently is $1.9 million and the schools contribute $1.4 million,” Hammersley said. “I’m recommending in this budget that the county pick up the remaining $1.4 million.”

This would represent a $1.2 million appropriation for CHCCS and around $250,000 for Orange County Schools.

The commissioners will hold public hearings on the budget May 12 and 19. May 26 they will meet with representatives from the school systems for a work session.

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