1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on. Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:18,719 my daily show prep with all of the links, become 6 00:00:18,719 --> 00:00:22,359 a patron, go to dpeakclendarshow dot com. Make sure you 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,920 hit the subscribe button. Get every episode for free right 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,320 to your smartphone or tablet, And again, thank you so 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:32,159 much for your support. Last night I watched the Mecklenberg 10 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,520 County Board of Commissioners meeting they adopted their budget. I 11 00:00:36,679 --> 00:00:39,759 watched it all so you didn't have to. You're welcome. 12 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:42,280 It is my service to you because I know that 13 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,759 you are doing more productive things with your lives than 14 00:00:44,799 --> 00:00:48,359 I am, so I watch government meetings and then report 15 00:00:48,399 --> 00:00:50,840 back on them as part of my three hour workday. 16 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:57,000 So they voted for the increase. This was a foregone conclusion, 17 00:00:59,799 --> 00:01:01,799 and we heard at the end of the last hour 18 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:07,359 of SoundBite from Susan Rodriguez mcdell, who was citing information 19 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:12,239 provided by the budget director Adrian Cox, who made a 20 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,359 brief presentation PowerPoint. You can find this by the way. 21 00:01:15,359 --> 00:01:16,560 You can go to their website if you want to 22 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,400 look up all of the slides from his presentation. His 23 00:01:20,519 --> 00:01:26,359 second slide or third slide was county expenses due to 24 00:01:26,599 --> 00:01:31,280 a void in state funding. Okay, so this is an 25 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:36,920 important clarification. This is an important detail because you're going 26 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:41,000 to hear the county commissioners make two different errors when 27 00:01:41,079 --> 00:01:44,680 talking about this data. Point. Number one, they're going to 28 00:01:44,719 --> 00:01:47,879 say federal end state, and it's not federal in state. 29 00:01:48,519 --> 00:01:52,799 It's state. The data being provided by the budget director 30 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,519 is state funding only. That's number one. Number two is 31 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:03,840 that they kept calling this all unfunded mandates, which I 32 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,879 don't like unfunded mandates in general. If you're a governing 33 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,800 body and you can mandate a lower body like the 34 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,199 state down to the county or state down to the city, 35 00:02:15,199 --> 00:02:17,439 and the state says you have to do this thing, 36 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,520 then if that thing is going to cost more money, 37 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:24,599 then you should probably, you know, give them the funding 38 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,120 to do the thing that you are requiring them to 39 00:02:27,159 --> 00:02:30,560 do now. But also keep in mind that these are 40 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,439 the local jurisdictions are administrative units of the state. So 41 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:37,000 if the state is saying this is something that we 42 00:02:37,039 --> 00:02:41,360 are requiring all local governments to do, because this is 43 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:47,159 our principle. Right, then you have to comply, and that 44 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:52,520 means you have to shift your priority. You have to say, 45 00:02:52,759 --> 00:02:54,759 I have to do these things that the state is 46 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,960 requiring me to do, and that means I'm not going 47 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,240 to get these other things that I want to get 48 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:05,680 because I have to do these things. See, you would think, 49 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,199 listening to the county commissioners last night that their entire 50 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:15,080 budget is dictated by state and federal governments, and that's 51 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:21,120 not the case. They have control over roughly two point 52 00:03:21,199 --> 00:03:24,960 one billion of their two point five billion dollar budget. 53 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:30,360 They choose those priorities. As the board chairman said last night, 54 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:36,439 this is the board's budget. They dictate what they spend 55 00:03:36,439 --> 00:03:41,599 the money on. They choose. Now that being said, the 56 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:46,800 slide from the budget director titled due to a void 57 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:53,039 in state funding, so he's not calling it solely unfunded mandates. 58 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,800 In fact, the grand total is four hundred and eighty 59 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,159 four million dollars of funding for next year that is 60 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:04,759 needed due to mandates or a lack of sufficient funding 61 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,520 from the state. What does that mean? A lack of 62 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:12,800 sufficient funding from the state, We don't know. That's not defined. 63 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:19,839 But you could throw in things like supplemental pay for teachers. 64 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,560 They're allowed to offer supplemental pay. Mecklinberg County offers ten 65 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:31,560 thousand dollars a year additional to the state salary base, 66 00:04:33,079 --> 00:04:35,560 so all teachers in Mecklinber County get an extra ten k. 67 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:37,680 So whenever you hear the numbers, and we went over 68 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:39,879 this yesterday, we were going over a bunch of numbers 69 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,319 yesterday talking about teacher pay, you always have to add 70 00:04:43,319 --> 00:04:45,920 in in Mecklinberg County, you got to add in ten k. 71 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,680 Is that a void in state funding? Is that lack 72 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,600 of sufficient funding? So, in other words, you think you 73 00:04:55,639 --> 00:04:57,680 should be spending this amount of money the state is 74 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:59,839 and giving it to you. So therefore that is in 75 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:06,879 sufficient funding. There's supplemental wages and benefits for CPCC, the 76 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:12,800 community college, court support for das, public defenders, trial court administrators, 77 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,199 and the Clerk of Court. Nowhere near the numbers that 78 00:05:16,639 --> 00:05:24,680 CMS gets. Behavioral health support, scrap tire disposal, North Carolina 79 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:29,680 pre K supplement, so again, additional supplemental funding for pre K, 80 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:38,160 foster care, State County Special Assistance Program, in home aid services, 81 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:42,399 adult day care services, gun permit and sex offender registration, 82 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,839 juvenile detention. So the state is saying you have to 83 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,399 do these things for it, let's say issuing gun permits, Well, 84 00:05:50,399 --> 00:05:53,519 we need more money to do that then, because it's 85 00:05:53,519 --> 00:05:57,199 not Gary McFadden's fault, we know that, right. So what 86 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:58,800 the state is telling you is that this is a 87 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:02,000 core service we are requiring you to fund. That's what 88 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,560 they're telling you. You have to make this part of 89 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,639 your budget. And you may not like that, but that's 90 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,279 what the state is saying. That they want statewide this 91 00:06:10,399 --> 00:06:13,560 to be the rule, and that you have to allocate 92 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,120 funds in your county budget for these operations. You now 93 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:21,720 have two point one billion that you can tap for 94 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:27,959 other stuff. That's your call. Laura Meyer, County Commissioner. Last night, 95 00:06:29,959 --> 00:06:32,759 she says they have cut all they can cut and 96 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,319 it's because of unfunded mandates from the state. 97 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 2: They are not funding operating support for cms, CPCC Supplemental 98 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:46,759 Wages and Benefits, court support, behavioral health support, North Carolina 99 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,160 pre K Supplement, Foster care Supplement, State and County Special 100 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,439 Assistance Program, and the list goes on. I want our 101 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:58,120 media to report on this. I just did it seen 102 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,800 in the media, because that's how people are going to 103 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:01,399 hear about it. 104 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 3: We are. 105 00:07:03,759 --> 00:07:05,399 Speaker 2: This is to the tune of four hundred and eighty 106 00:07:05,399 --> 00:07:08,079 five million dollars. And I'm speaking to the public now. 107 00:07:08,519 --> 00:07:11,879 Your federal and state representatives are not funding four hundred 108 00:07:11,879 --> 00:07:14,959 and eighty five million dollars that we have to absorb 109 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,680 and pay for it. Therefore, we're cutting funds to programs 110 00:07:19,959 --> 00:07:23,040 like and I'm going to list a few, said Kimmel, 111 00:07:23,079 --> 00:07:26,160 which helps children with behavioral health, Center for Child Health, 112 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:30,920 Center for Community Transitions, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Crisis 113 00:07:30,959 --> 00:07:36,480 Assistance Ministry Prospera of North Carolina Rain read Charlotte et cetera, 114 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,079 et cetera, et cetera. It goes on. These are wonderful 115 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,839 programs that are working with the people north of Charlotte, 116 00:07:43,439 --> 00:07:46,240 of Meckinberg County that are not going to be getting 117 00:07:46,319 --> 00:07:49,959 money this year because of our state and federal program 118 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,040 because of our state and federal representatives. To the media, 119 00:07:53,199 --> 00:07:56,319 you should be reporting on this all the time. This 120 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,120 should be common knowledge. People should know this in the public. 121 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:02,759 To the public, you should demand better of your elected 122 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,480 officials at the state and federal level. Hold them accountable. 123 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. See, so here's the problem with that. Two point 124 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,240 five billion dollar budget. If let's say nineteen twenty percent 125 00:08:13,319 --> 00:08:17,480 are mandates or not just mandates, remember, as the budget 126 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:22,399 director called them, lack of sufficient funding from the state 127 00:08:22,519 --> 00:08:24,319 to pay for things that you want to pay for, 128 00:08:24,439 --> 00:08:28,639 like the supplements. That's your choice. So but even if 129 00:08:28,639 --> 00:08:32,039 I take your numbers and say nineteen to twenty percent 130 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:36,039 are mandates, why is the state responsible for the eighty 131 00:08:36,159 --> 00:08:41,960 one percent of the local budget priorities you're telling me 132 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,240 out of the eighty eighty one percent of the remaining budget. 133 00:08:45,639 --> 00:08:49,039 That's the state legislature's fault. That's the federal government's fault. 134 00:08:49,639 --> 00:08:54,639 It's not your fault, right. I saw this in Ashville. 135 00:08:54,879 --> 00:08:58,440 I have seen this in local governments my entire career. 136 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,879 Always blame some other entity for why they can't make 137 00:09:04,919 --> 00:09:09,480 their budget balance without tax increases. Don't blame us. We 138 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:14,279 didn't do it. It's somebody else's fault. We didn't want 139 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:16,159 to have to spend all of this money on the 140 00:09:16,279 --> 00:09:20,039 NAACP conference. We didn't want to spend all this money 141 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:24,120 on the pride parade. Oh no, you did see you 142 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:28,360 prioritize those things. And while those things only amount to 143 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:32,000 two hundred k for the NAACP conference for next year, 144 00:09:32,759 --> 00:09:35,639 sorry for this year, or one hundred twenty five k 145 00:09:35,919 --> 00:09:40,679 for the Pride stuff next year. It's not millions, but 146 00:09:40,759 --> 00:09:45,919 those are examples that they talked about last night. And 147 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,840 well they talked about the NAACP one, the hundred twenty 148 00:09:48,879 --> 00:09:50,639 five k for the Pride thing that came out of 149 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:53,799 the agenda. But the point is the same is that 150 00:09:53,799 --> 00:09:57,799 these are items that they have chosen to fund, and 151 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,639 they don't want you to blame and them for their choices. 152 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:07,320 They want you to blame somebody else. I am too 153 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,480 bright for your gasline. All right. If you're listening to 154 00:10:10,519 --> 00:10:12,039 this show, you know I try to keep up with 155 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,200 all sorts of current events, and I know you do too, 156 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:16,799 And you've probably heard me say get your news from 157 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:18,000 multiple sources. 158 00:10:18,519 --> 00:10:18,759 Speaker 3: Why. 159 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,879 Speaker 1: Well, because it's how you detect media bias, which is 160 00:10:21,919 --> 00:10:24,960 why I've been so impressed with ground News. It's an 161 00:10:25,039 --> 00:10:28,480 app and it's a website and it combines news from 162 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:30,679 around the world in one place so you can compare 163 00:10:30,759 --> 00:10:33,799 coverage and verify information. You can check it out at 164 00:10:33,919 --> 00:10:38,360 check dot ground dot news slash Pete. I put the 165 00:10:38,399 --> 00:10:41,559 link in the podcast description too. I started using ground 166 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,279 news a few months ago and more recently chose to 167 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,240 work with them as an affiliate because it lets me 168 00:10:46,279 --> 00:10:50,120 see clearly how stories get covered and by whom. The 169 00:10:50,159 --> 00:10:53,200 blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored by 170 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,360 the left and the right. See for yourself. Check dot 171 00:10:56,639 --> 00:11:00,679 Ground dot news slash Pete. Subscribe through that link and 172 00:11:00,759 --> 00:11:03,559 you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use the 173 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,000 Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature. Your 174 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,919 subscription then not only helps my podcast, but it also 175 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,720 supports Ground News as they make the media landscape more transparent. 176 00:11:14,799 --> 00:11:19,279 Email to Pete at the Pete calendarshow dot Com from 177 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:24,360 Walter who says did the county learn nothing from Doge? No, 178 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,399 they did not. Ralph, Welcome to the program. Hello Ralph, 179 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:29,039 what's up? 180 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,759 Speaker 3: Hey, Pete. I have to go to the government center 181 00:11:33,159 --> 00:11:35,480 on a regular basis, and you know, I have to 182 00:11:35,519 --> 00:11:38,480 go through security and you have to inky your pockets 183 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,120 out and all that type of stuff. But how are 184 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,840 they getting these crickets in? I'm the only things that 185 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:49,320 were allowed were briefcases full of fifty K and you 186 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,879 know when Patrick Cannon was there, But I don't get 187 00:11:52,879 --> 00:11:53,720 the crickets in there. 188 00:11:54,039 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: That's a very good question. They got the security that 189 00:11:56,759 --> 00:11:59,120 you got to walk through the metal detectors, although the 190 00:11:59,159 --> 00:12:02,080 crickets wouldn't set that off. But yeah, I don't know 191 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:05,120 how they would have gone through there with boxes filled 192 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,879 with insects unless they just had them in like a 193 00:12:08,919 --> 00:12:11,519 backpack and through the backpack through the metal detector and 194 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:13,840 that came through clean. I don't know. But then again, 195 00:12:13,879 --> 00:12:17,159 I don't know how an employee over at the Sheriff's 196 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,080 office smuggled a knife in and stambed or coworker at 197 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,519 the rest processing center either. 198 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 3: Well, you know that's not my fault, mcfahnin's situation. 199 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: Correct, Yes, that is true, Ralph. I appreciate the call, buddy, 200 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,080 thank you. It's a very good question. I don't know 201 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:37,559 the answer to it, all right, So let's get back 202 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,919 to another audio clip here. This is Elaine Powell, another 203 00:12:41,519 --> 00:12:46,559 progressive Democrat on the County Commission, and she says, look, people, 204 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:48,879 we have cut to the bone, to the bone. 205 00:12:48,879 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 4: All these years, County leadership, Dina County leadership have been cutting, cutting, cutting, 206 00:12:56,279 --> 00:13:00,320 and we are bare bones. So there isn't a department 207 00:13:00,399 --> 00:13:05,279 that didn't make a painful cut. Nobody's doing the snoopy 208 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:10,879 dance about how bare bones it is, where many departments 209 00:13:10,919 --> 00:13:14,159 are struggling to get by, and cuts had to be made. 210 00:13:14,399 --> 00:13:18,840 Taxpayer dollars cannot pay for everything. Corporations need to step up. 211 00:13:20,879 --> 00:13:22,519 It's really time for them to step up. And I 212 00:13:22,519 --> 00:13:24,879 wanted to make a correction because everybody keeps saying state 213 00:13:24,919 --> 00:13:28,039 and federal This slide number three, which needs to be 214 00:13:28,039 --> 00:13:32,120 on the front page of every newspaper and every news channel, 215 00:13:32,799 --> 00:13:37,240 Slide number three is a void in state funding, not 216 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,799 state in federal state. And so when they put that 217 00:13:40,879 --> 00:13:43,279 kind of burden on Mecklenberg County, with all of the 218 00:13:44,159 --> 00:13:48,360 differences the needs that we have with such a populated county, 219 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,000 there is no choice, like, if you want to provide 220 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,559 valuable services to the community that we serve, if you're 221 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,799 committed to stability of local government, we have done it. 222 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,279 We have gone as bare bones as you can possibly go. 223 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,799 And we still need to have a tax increase for 224 00:14:06,039 --> 00:14:07,600 first order priorities. 225 00:14:07,639 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: All right, So a couple things their note, she said, 226 00:14:10,159 --> 00:14:15,159 if you want the services, they've cut to the bare bone. 227 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,519 But if you want the services, she lumps those all 228 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,720 the services of their funding. She lumps them into first 229 00:14:22,879 --> 00:14:29,039 order priorities. See again, there's a reason that they want 230 00:14:29,039 --> 00:14:31,440 that slide on the front page of the newspaper and 231 00:14:31,919 --> 00:14:35,399 all of the TV stations. It's because it tells their 232 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,960 side of the story. It doesn't, and they leave out 233 00:14:38,039 --> 00:14:40,679 the rest of the story, right, They leave out the 234 00:14:40,679 --> 00:14:43,720 part where they control eighty percent of the two and 235 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:48,720 a half billion, and they've decided to prioritize all of 236 00:14:48,759 --> 00:14:53,039 the other things that that two point one billion pays for. 237 00:14:53,840 --> 00:15:01,960 Those are all their choices, such as the now canceled 238 00:15:02,279 --> 00:15:06,480 has been canceled for a long time, The Mecklenburgers. I 239 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:10,120 just told Bernie about the Mecklenburgers. This was a classic, 240 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:15,360 a classic TV show. It only aired for I think 241 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:18,360 maybe two or three seasons or something. It was not 242 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,000 a long running show. It was like a firework, you know, 243 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,120 flew too close to the sun. And it was on 244 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:30,720 the local government channel, Channel sixteen, cable access only. This 245 00:15:30,879 --> 00:15:33,759 was about fifteen years ago, twenty years ago whenever it was, 246 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:40,720 and they decided to create like a sitcom on the 247 00:15:40,759 --> 00:15:46,840 government channel and it was called The Mecklenburgers. Suzanne Stevens, 248 00:15:47,039 --> 00:15:51,519 former anchor at WSOCTV. She had retired at that point, 249 00:15:51,519 --> 00:15:54,879 but she was on the show. Robert D. Rayford, legendary 250 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:58,159 radio guy. He was on the show, and they would 251 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:02,519 engage in various hijink since such, while also informing and 252 00:16:02,679 --> 00:16:05,600 educating the public about all of the wonderful services that 253 00:16:05,639 --> 00:16:10,320 Mecklenberg County provides. Now, if that isn't mining gold for 254 00:16:11,799 --> 00:16:15,960 a TV show, I don't know what is that was 255 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:21,600 their priority? Or how about a RoboCop? This was my favorite, 256 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:26,080 a RoboCop. It didn't cost taxpayers a lot of money. 257 00:16:26,559 --> 00:16:30,399 It was a pitily little grand maybe twenty thirty, forty 258 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:36,080 k whatever. And this one got added in when Democrats 259 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:41,240 first retook control of the Mecklenburg County Commission I want 260 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,000 to say this was probably some time around four or 261 00:16:44,039 --> 00:16:49,679 so or maybe eight. They retook control from the Republicans. 262 00:16:50,039 --> 00:16:54,840 They were in control of the budget process, and then 263 00:16:54,919 --> 00:16:59,720 County Commissioner Dan Bishop wanted to see if the Democrats 264 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:04,160 would actually vote against anything, any of the nonprofit asks 265 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:08,519 that came before the commissioners, and so he took the 266 00:17:08,559 --> 00:17:12,440 most ridiculous ask, which was some guy dressed in a 267 00:17:12,519 --> 00:17:16,000 leotard working out with kids. I know how it sounds, 268 00:17:16,559 --> 00:17:20,640 and it was called a RoboCop and he would do 269 00:17:20,839 --> 00:17:25,920 aerobics with the kids on the Government Channel. And so 270 00:17:26,079 --> 00:17:28,039 Dan Bishop offered it up and said, oh, you know, 271 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,880 childhood obesity, blah blah blah. Gave like some cover story 272 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,960 to why he thought this was a valuable thing, and 273 00:17:35,079 --> 00:17:37,519 every Democrat voted for it, and he voted against it, 274 00:17:37,519 --> 00:17:39,440 and he's like, I just did this to see if 275 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,519 there was anything you would vote against, and there isn't. 276 00:17:42,759 --> 00:17:46,440 There's literally nothing you will say no to. And a 277 00:17:46,519 --> 00:17:50,279 RoboCop then hit hit the airwave, well, the cable waves. 278 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:55,279 I think he lasted like two seasons. Not a lot 279 00:17:55,319 --> 00:17:57,079 of people watch the Government Channel. I don't know what 280 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,640 to tell you. Here's a great idea. How about making 281 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:02,759 an ass escape to a really special and secluded getaway 282 00:18:02,759 --> 00:18:05,200 in western North Carolina. Just a quick drive up the 283 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:08,519 mountain and Cabins of Ashville is your connection. Whether you're 284 00:18:08,519 --> 00:18:11,359 celebrating an anniversary, a honeymoon, maybe you want to plan 285 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,160 a memorable proposal, or get family and friends together for 286 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,400 a big old reunion, Cabins of Asheville has the ideal 287 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,039 spot for you where you can reconnect with your loved 288 00:18:20,039 --> 00:18:23,079 ones and the things that truly matter. Nestled within the 289 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:26,559 breath taking fourteen thousand acres of the Pisga National Forest. 290 00:18:26,799 --> 00:18:29,640 Their cabins offer a serene escape in the heart of 291 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,599 the Blue Ridge Mountains. Centrally located between Ashville and the 292 00:18:32,759 --> 00:18:35,559 entrance of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It's the 293 00:18:35,559 --> 00:18:39,640 perfect balance of seclusion and proximity to all the local 294 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:44,279 attractions with hot tubs, fireplaces, air conditioning, smart TVs, Wi 295 00:18:44,319 --> 00:18:47,680 Fi grills, outdoor tables and your own private covered porch. 296 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:52,000 Choose from thirteen cabins, six cottages, two villas, and a 297 00:18:52,039 --> 00:18:56,079 great lodge with eleven king sized bedrooms. Cabins of Ashville 298 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,400 has the ideal spot for you for any occasion, and 299 00:18:59,519 --> 00:19:03,079 they have friendly accommodations. Call her text eight two eight, 300 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,440 three six seven seventy sixty eight or check out all 301 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:09,079 there is to offer at Cabins of Ashville dot com 302 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,359 and make memories that'll last a lifetime. 303 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 4: When Mecklenburgers family Manlan Gully. 304 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 1: Mecklenburg, I wasn't lying, and yes, lend you a hand. 305 00:19:33,559 --> 00:19:45,960 Indeed one weird everywhere, well I mean in Mecklenburg proper, 306 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:51,279 not everywhere. Yeah, you're welcome for that. Earworm. That was 307 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:55,519 the that was the theme song to the Mecklenburgers. Now 308 00:19:55,599 --> 00:19:58,599 the Mecklenburgers got canceled. Let's see how many seasons did 309 00:19:58,599 --> 00:20:05,480 they have here? Well, how many episodes did they? Wait? 310 00:20:05,559 --> 00:20:11,720 What thirty two thirty? What thirty four episodes they produced 311 00:20:11,759 --> 00:20:16,039 of this program and it's no longer on the air 312 00:20:16,519 --> 00:20:19,079 or on the cable. Okay. So I'm not blaming the 313 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:25,319 current county commissioners obviously for this spending priority, but it's 314 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:29,319 an example they chose at the time, The county commissioners 315 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:35,759 chose at the time to fund this program. The County 316 00:20:35,759 --> 00:20:43,160 commission now chooses to fund various programs. They control eighty percent, 317 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,119 eighty one percent of the two point five billion dollars 318 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:51,039 in spending. So them wanting me to focus on the 319 00:20:52,079 --> 00:20:54,720 void from the state. Oh, they don't give us supplemental 320 00:20:54,759 --> 00:20:59,920 funding for teacher pay. That you can do teacher pay 321 00:21:00,079 --> 00:21:03,119 on your own. The state is not required to give 322 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:07,119 you that. But they're calling that a void in state funding. 323 00:21:07,759 --> 00:21:14,119 So yeah, I would pick a bone, a bear bone, 324 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,839 you might say, with the commissioners who want me to 325 00:21:17,839 --> 00:21:21,200 blame the state for all of their priorities that they 326 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:26,839 are funding now. The only no vote last night was 327 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:31,359 Arthur Griffin, now Arthur Griffin. When I first started as 328 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:34,440 a reporter here in Charlotte for WBT, Arthur Griffin was 329 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:37,799 on the Charlotte Mecklenburg school Board. He became chairman of 330 00:21:37,839 --> 00:21:43,640 the school board, did that for years, and then he 331 00:21:43,799 --> 00:21:47,200 retired off and was in the private sector, I believe, 332 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:49,400 and then he came back a couple of years ago. 333 00:21:50,799 --> 00:21:53,440 I think coincidentally when I returned. It's not my fault 334 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:55,720 though I did not do this, but Arthur Griffin came 335 00:21:55,759 --> 00:21:58,039 back as a county commissioner. I think he may have 336 00:21:58,039 --> 00:22:03,519 been appointed to fill an unexpired term, but I don't recall. 337 00:22:03,599 --> 00:22:06,599 And so Arthur Griffin comes back and now he's a 338 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:11,519 county commissioner. He was the only no vote last night, 339 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,200 and by golly, I agree with Arthur Griffin. 340 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:20,359 Speaker 5: I know we all want a stronger Macklinberry County, but 341 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:25,240 warning progress is not enough. We must define outcome goals, 342 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:30,039 smart goals, aligned spending with impact, and be honest about 343 00:22:30,039 --> 00:22:33,759 what is working and what's not colleagues. Based on those 344 00:22:33,759 --> 00:22:37,599 three principles, our system is broken and because of that, 345 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:40,319 I'm not able to support this budget as well as 346 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:43,839 the tax increase. I have a lot of experience. I 347 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:45,960 put fifty years here, but I won't tell you that 348 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,279 think I'm too old, a lot of experience in this 349 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,759 process advocating for justice. Let me tell you some Avalarne. 350 00:22:55,039 --> 00:22:59,000 There will never be enough tax payer of money to 351 00:22:59,079 --> 00:23:03,119 do all the just that we seek. So we get 352 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:06,440 the biggest impact for the dollars we have. And certainly 353 00:23:06,559 --> 00:23:12,599 understand taxes are necessary for education, public health, for infrastructure. 354 00:23:13,079 --> 00:23:15,720 You know, I've been around for a moment or two, 355 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:19,240 but in the last FY twenty four, twenty five, twenty 356 00:23:19,279 --> 00:23:24,119 six we've increased local spending by two hundred million dollars 357 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:27,920 in that Going back to that third point, be honest 358 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:31,640 about what's working and what's not. One of our budget 359 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:37,680 priorities is educational attainment. In twenty sixteen, we engaged in 360 00:23:37,799 --> 00:23:41,640 mech pre K for the sole purpose of kindergarten readiness. 361 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:43,960 All right, And every year I've been on this board, 362 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,960 I've asked about how many mech pre K kids are 363 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:50,279 ready for kindergarten and I have not received that, and 364 00:23:50,319 --> 00:23:52,400 nor have any of us received. 365 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:53,920 Speaker 4: Any date. 366 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,319 Speaker 5: Well, I won't say any data, but data to support 367 00:23:57,799 --> 00:24:03,440 the answer the question are ours ready for kindergarten CMS? 368 00:24:03,599 --> 00:24:06,559 I love CMS to deak that's my school, that's my 369 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:11,039 school system, but they share data with us. Recently, I 370 00:24:11,079 --> 00:24:14,359 asked how many students are graduating with less than a 371 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,559 two point zero in the class of twenty twenty four. 372 00:24:18,759 --> 00:24:21,559 I spoke to our chair of the school board a 373 00:24:21,559 --> 00:24:24,079 week or so ago to ask if the numbers that 374 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:27,480 were given to all of us was duplicated or unduplicated. 375 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,759 I haven't heard back, so I'll take it as face value. 376 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:35,400 Thirty nine hundred and forty students graduated out of the 377 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,839 class of ninety six hundred and seventy four with a 378 00:24:39,079 --> 00:24:42,319 GPA a grade point average of less than two point zero. 379 00:24:43,039 --> 00:24:46,720 That's forty percent of the graduating class. These students are 380 00:24:46,759 --> 00:24:49,400 not going to be successfully employed and listed or enroll, 381 00:24:50,039 --> 00:24:52,559 and where's the return on the investment for our tax payer. 382 00:24:54,039 --> 00:24:56,519 We debated the other day about giving tax dollars to 383 00:24:56,519 --> 00:25:01,000 a nonprofit for a duple community financial literacy program. Despite 384 00:25:01,039 --> 00:25:04,599 living in the second largest banking system in America with 385 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:08,759 dozens of banks and financial institutions that are required by 386 00:25:08,839 --> 00:25:12,160 federal law under the Community Reinvestment Act to provide free 387 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:17,079 financial literacy to low income residents. Rather than encouraging collaboration 388 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,480 and leveraging of these existing resources, we once again are 389 00:25:20,519 --> 00:25:24,400 reaching into the taxpayer's pocket. We owe it to the 390 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:29,079 taxpayers to expect a reasonable return on their investment. We 391 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:34,359 owe it most to our vulnerable to demand outcomes, you know, 392 00:25:34,519 --> 00:25:40,559 dependency versus empowerment, safety nets versus self sufficiency. It's going 393 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,519 to take a mindset, mindset change for us. 394 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: Indeed, it's going to take a mindset change that is astounding. 395 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:56,960 Forty percent of students are graduating with less than a 396 00:25:57,039 --> 00:26:01,480 two point zero. I didn't even know you could with 397 00:26:01,599 --> 00:26:03,640 less than a two point zero, but apparently you can. 398 00:26:03,839 --> 00:26:09,599 Forty percent. Is that working? Is that system working? We 399 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:10,359 need more money? 400 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:11,519 Speaker 5: Right? 401 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,839 Speaker 1: How much more? More? Just more? There will never be 402 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:22,039 enough taxpayer money ever. He also talked about the increase 403 00:26:22,039 --> 00:26:29,279 in local spending to CMS two hundred million dollars over 404 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,920 two years three years now. I said this quote or 405 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,200 this stat rather to somebody. I don't remember if it 406 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,400 was on the air, if it was in private life 407 00:26:37,519 --> 00:26:40,680 or whatever, but I mentioned it, and they were shocked 408 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,480 to learn when I said that CMS their enrollment is 409 00:26:44,519 --> 00:26:50,920 basically flat. What No, that's not possible. So I went, 410 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,119 just out of curiosity, I went and I pulled the 411 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:58,119 ADM the average daily membership for CMS, and CMS has 412 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:01,640 this data available? You can find it for every single 413 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:06,480 school and the district itself. What do you think the 414 00:27:06,599 --> 00:27:10,039 change in CMS student enrollment has been over the last 415 00:27:10,079 --> 00:27:13,839 ten years? Think about it all? Right? So spring is 416 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:19,200 here a time of renewal and celebrations. You've got graduations, weddings, anniversaries, 417 00:27:19,319 --> 00:27:21,799 and the special days for mom and dad. Your family's 418 00:27:21,799 --> 00:27:23,799 making memories that are going to last a lifetime. But 419 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,920 let me ask you, are all of those treasured moments 420 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,400 from days gone by? Are they hidden away on old 421 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:34,440 VCR tapes, eight millimeter films, photos slides? Are they preserved? 422 00:27:34,839 --> 00:27:38,279 Because over time, these precious memories can fade and deteriorate, 423 00:27:38,559 --> 00:27:42,119 losing the magic of yesterday. At Creative Video, they help 424 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,880 you protect what matters most. Their expert team digitizes your 425 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,319 cherished family moments and transfers them onto a USB drive, 426 00:27:49,559 --> 00:27:51,799 freezing them in time so they can be enjoyed for 427 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,279 generations to come. I urge you do not wait until 428 00:27:55,319 --> 00:27:59,160 it's too late. This Spring celebrates your past. Visit creative 429 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,079 video today and let them preserve your legacy with the 430 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:06,000 love and care that it deserves. Creative Video preserving family 431 00:28:06,079 --> 00:28:09,440 memories since nineteen ninety seven. Located in mint Hill, just 432 00:28:09,519 --> 00:28:12,599 off four eighty five. Mail orders are accepted to get 433 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:16,319 all the details that create a video dot com. I 434 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:20,200 asked the question, what do you think has been the 435 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:26,119 enrollment change in CMS over the last decade, because as 436 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:30,599 you just heard Arthur Griffin, former chairman longtime chairman of 437 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:35,680 the Charlotte Mecklenberg School Board point out that CMS has 438 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,000 gotten an additional two hundred million dollars over the last 439 00:28:39,319 --> 00:28:43,680 two to three years net two hundred million. In fact, 440 00:28:43,759 --> 00:28:50,799 Hang on second, I've got last year's budget announcement. So 441 00:28:51,079 --> 00:28:56,359 this was for the twenty twenty five budget, they increased 442 00:28:56,359 --> 00:28:58,799 spending one hundred and forty million dollars. That was a 443 00:28:58,839 --> 00:29:02,759 five point nine per cent increase over the twenty twenty 444 00:29:02,799 --> 00:29:08,720 four budget. Okay, and they fully funded cms's budget request 445 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:13,200 with an additional forty six and a half million Okay. 446 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:18,359 This year they fully fund cms's budget request of twenty 447 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:21,039 eight million dollars. That is a four point four percent 448 00:29:21,119 --> 00:29:27,519 increase for total CMS operating funding of six hundred and 449 00:29:27,559 --> 00:29:32,440 sixty six point one million dollars, and it says in 450 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:37,119 their press release that the increase will primarily supplement teacher salaries, 451 00:29:37,519 --> 00:29:40,119 and then they give a bullet point breakdown of what 452 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:43,279 the funding goes to, and interestingly enough, it does not 453 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:47,400 actually primarily supplement teacher salaries, so that's a lie, okay. 454 00:29:48,039 --> 00:29:50,519 Out of the press release, it says nine point nine 455 00:29:50,599 --> 00:29:54,400 for salary increases for locally funded staff, eight point three 456 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,359 to address below market salaries and increase compensation relative to 457 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:02,799 years of service. CMS they give you more money the 458 00:30:02,799 --> 00:30:05,559 longer you've been there, so people complaining about the state 459 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:09,240 not doing that, CMS does that with their supplements. So 460 00:30:09,279 --> 00:30:11,880 that's nine point nine plus eight point three plus another 461 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:15,599 eight point one to increase local supplements, and you add 462 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:17,960 all of that together and you end up with twenty 463 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:22,039 six point three million dollars. But thirty three million is 464 00:30:22,039 --> 00:30:26,319 for capital spending for repairs and maintenance of existing facilities. 465 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:32,160 So no, the increase is not primarily supplementing teacher salaries. 466 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:36,359 It's primarily going to fix and maintain the buildings that 467 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:38,519 you guys said we needed to build for all of 468 00:30:38,559 --> 00:30:43,759 the students over the last fifty years, right, all the bonds. 469 00:30:43,799 --> 00:30:45,640 You're coming at us with another bond, You're going to 470 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:50,599 be asking for more bond funding. Well, obviously we need 471 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:53,960 it for all of the influx of students. Now I'm 472 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,480 old enough to remember when CMS was the largest school 473 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:01,200 district in the state. We are no longer that WAKE 474 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,960 is now the largest. Right, So if you go back 475 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:09,039 and look at the average daily membership the EIGHTYM they 476 00:31:09,039 --> 00:31:12,920 are required. CMS is required to report EIGHTM to the 477 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:17,839 state on a monthly basis. EIGHTM is an average of 478 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,880 membership across the reporting period and is the key metric 479 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:25,680 for state funding allocations. That's why they want more kids 480 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,079 in the schools so they get more money from the state. 481 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:35,640 So EIGHTYM ten years ago, in the twenty fifteen to 482 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:39,400 twenty sixteen school year was one hundred forty four thousand 483 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:42,279 and seven eighty three, so one hundred and forty five 484 00:31:42,359 --> 00:31:47,880 thousand students. It went up the next year, it went 485 00:31:48,079 --> 00:31:51,480 up the next year, It went up just a little 486 00:31:51,519 --> 00:31:59,279 bit in twenty eighteen twenty nineteen. Then you start seeing 487 00:31:59,279 --> 00:32:06,160 a decline after twenty nineteen twenty twenty. Hmmm, did something 488 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:10,240 happen in twenty twenty because it went from one hundred 489 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:13,039 and forty five almost one hundred and forty six thousand, 490 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:18,200 down to one hundred and thirty eight thousand, and then 491 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:21,960 it dropped again in twenty twenty one. It went back 492 00:32:22,039 --> 00:32:25,160 up in twenty twenty two, twenty three, and then it 493 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:28,440 went back down last year, and now it went back 494 00:32:28,519 --> 00:32:31,400 up by a little bit this year. And I say 495 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:35,640 a little bit, I'm talking one thousand less than a 496 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:40,599 thousand kids. So what I mean since covid CMS enrollment 497 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:45,279 has flatlined, now maybe it keeps going up and up 498 00:32:45,359 --> 00:32:47,200 and up. That's possible. It could keep going up. I 499 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:52,400 don't know. But if ten years ago you had something 500 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:54,920 on the order of well not even ten years ago, 501 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,839 you had like seven thousand more students than you have now, 502 00:33:00,119 --> 00:33:06,599 that indicate that you would require less money. See, this 503 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:11,279 is the problem. There's always an excuse to spend more. 504 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:14,359 You either have too many kids, so we have to 505 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:16,640 build more and pay more, or you have too few 506 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:18,319 kids and so now they have different needs, so we 507 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,680 have to build more, pay more. There's never a reason 508 00:33:21,759 --> 00:33:24,400 to cut with these people. And by the way, the 509 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:27,839 last point here on the tax rate, Arthur Griffin made 510 00:33:27,839 --> 00:33:30,279 this point, and I agree with him completely, and he 511 00:33:30,319 --> 00:33:34,920 knows what he's talking about, and he knows these political arguments. 512 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:36,880 He used to make them as a member of the 513 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:41,000 school board. Now he's on the county Commission, demanding accountability, 514 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:46,279 and so he sees through this narrative about, well, we 515 00:33:46,319 --> 00:33:49,720 have the lowest tax rate among our surrounding counties. 516 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:54,240 Speaker 5: As we talk about the tax rate less different than 517 00:33:54,279 --> 00:34:00,720 the tax build as you get your property reevaluated, the 518 00:34:00,759 --> 00:34:03,799 tax rate could be ten cents per one hundred. But 519 00:34:03,839 --> 00:34:07,079 if your properly escalates over one thousand percent, and you 520 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:11,440 all know the decrescence being impacted by that uneven escalation, 521 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:16,000 I can't support this tax rate. Given those three principles 522 00:34:16,039 --> 00:34:18,519 that I suggested to your original. 523 00:34:18,119 --> 00:34:22,639 Speaker 1: Think right, the three principles were defined, defined smart goals. 524 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:28,480 Defined goals, align the money with the impact right, best 525 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:31,239 bang for the buck, and then be honest about what 526 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:34,800 is working and what is not working. And by the way, 527 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:38,639 in the press release from the county, the twenty six 528 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:42,639 budget works to achieve several broad goals. Number one, fund 529 00:34:42,719 --> 00:34:47,519 programs and services that align with the board's priorities. They 530 00:34:47,559 --> 00:34:51,679 admit in the first bullet point of their press release. 531 00:34:52,039 --> 00:34:57,719 These are their priorities including environmental stewardship, health equity and wellness, 532 00:34:58,039 --> 00:35:02,960 right reducing racial disp These are their goals. You don't 533 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:06,079 get to offload the blame for the property tax increase 534 00:35:06,119 --> 00:35:10,159 to the state. All right, that'll do it for this episode. 535 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:12,320 Thank you so much for listening. I could not do 536 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,519 the show without your support and the support of the 537 00:35:14,519 --> 00:35:17,599 businesses that advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, 538 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:19,800 please support them too and tell them you heard it here. 539 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:22,480 You can also become a patron at my Patreon page 540 00:35:22,599 --> 00:35:26,159 or go to thepetecleanershow dot com. Again, thank you so 541 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:30,039 much for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.