The Board of Orange County Commissioners voted Tuesday night to support a quarter-cent sales tax increase that will appear on November ballots.
The tax is expected to bring in $2.3 million annually — 42.5 percent of which will benefit the county’s two school systems. An equal amount will also be used to spur area economic development.
County Manager Frank Clifton sought to educate the public at the meeting by providing frequently asked questions and information regarding the ballot, which will feature another referendum item other than the tax increase.
“You need to vote your choice,” Clifton said at the meeting.
County commissioners were also presented with the 2011 Orange County employee benefits plan at the meeting, provided by county Human Resources Director Michael McGinnis.
McGinnis said renewing the town’s fully insured plan was a more financially feasible option for the next year.
“There are a number of goals that we have,” McGinnis said at the meeting. “We are making some good progress in getting better control in maintaining our health care plan.”
A fully-insured plan has a set premium the county pays, while a self-insured plan has a variable premium.
A self-insured plan requires the county to pay for all claims and an administrative fee, while the fully- insured options requires the county to pay one fixed premium based on past claims and demographics.
