Commissioners & Fellow Citizens,
My name is Eric Broyles of Morehead City, North Carolina.
On a previous occasion, I spoke about the negative impact that raising taxes or fees at this time would have on senior citizens and the unemployed, who are on fixed or limited incomes. They represent approximately 30% of the county. Both citizen groups have seen food, basic commodities, and gas prices spiraling up over 100% in the past several years. Based on school board statistics, 41.4% or 3,561of our school students are on free or reduced meals because their parent(s) cannot afford to provide lunch for them.
Currently, there is a lot of propaganda out there about the poor quality of education our students will receive if we increase class sizes. Many studies like the “Brooking Institute Brown Center Study on Class Size” and “A Lesson in Smaller Class Sizes” by Nina Rees clearly imply a small increase in class size would have a negligible impact on the quality of education a student receives. Most studies point to the fact that the quality of the teacher is the most important element in how well a child learns. To take it one step further, Dr. Matthew Chingos, who obtained his PH.D. from Harvard University, states “Investing less in Class Size Reductions would free up resources that could be used to recruit and retain highly effective teachers”. I think history has already deflated the claims of those advocating class size as the chief determining factor in the quality of education an individual receives considering the technological, scientific, and medical advances of my father’s and my generation, whose average class size was 25 or more students. The same generation many of you are in.
Today, we have a group of citizens advocating the full funding of the school budget, which will eventually result in tax increases. They want to raise taxes on the financially hard pressed citizens who are on fixed or limited incomes. Some of these citizens cannot even afford to provide their own child a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich for their school lunch. I cannot see the benefit in raising taxes to save 100 teachers jobs, while 1/3 of our community is struggling just to buy food, medicines, utilities, and afford housing.
During difficult economic times, government like citizens and businesses, must tighten their belts and reduce spending. To do otherwise, would be unwise, reckless, and fiscally irresponsible. I am in full support of the budget currently proposed by the Commissioners because it best protects the interest of all citizens.