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6 help. He noted that for each penny off the tax rate the savings for the average homeowner will be $30, but for the top twenty tax payers, the savings per penny will be $2,500. Ms. Hamilton noted that the City went to the General Assembly and asked for a differential tax rate, and we will have to go back next year and then have a referendum. She said the City is pushing as hard as it can for tax relief. She said she supports a tax deferral program and expanding the current tax relief effort. She said Council is hearing people. Dr. Brown agreed that we need to have a lower tax rate. He said his only concern about expanding the tax rebate program is where to draw the line because people on one side will be helping to pay for the others. PUBLIC HEARING : CITY MANAGER’S PROPOSED BUDGET Mr. O’Connell said that the proposed budget is about our community’s values, and reflects the priorities of education, public safety and affordable housing. He said Council’s vision drives this year’s budget. He reviewed the major initiatives in the budget. The public hearing was opened. Ms. Kim Wells, 500 Park Street, a member of IMPACT’s Executive Committee, an organization of 25 congregations, thanked Councilors for their presence at the recent IMPACT meeting, for which over 1600 people signed in. She encouraged Council to commit to the proposals made at that meeting, including the CAHIP proposal, $420,000 for new housing opportunities, and to create a regional task force to address the need to plan on a regional basis. Ms. Rhonda Miska, 1647 Brandywine D rive, representing IMPACT, said she supports Sunday service for public transportation as proposed in the budget. She said 30 minute headways are needed, and night service is needed on Route 5. Ms. Leah Puryear, 2415 Kerry Lane, a member of the School Board, asked that Council support the City Manager’s budget. She said Council needs to continue support for the community’s priorities of education, affordable housing and public safety. She also asked that Council reinstate funds for the African-American Festival and the Juneteenth celebration. Mr. Josh Stewart-Silver, 1635 Bruce Avenue, asked that Council provide funding for the Fatherhood Specialist, which represents only .02% of the total healthy families budget. He said there are no other programs that target fatherhood. th Ms. Holly Edwards, 917 6 Street, S.E., Program Coordinator for PHAR, said that public housing is the only affordable housing in the City. She asked that CAHIP be kept in the budget. Mr. Chad Thorne, 705 Rockcreek Road, said that 78% of students at Johnson Elementary School are African-American, 80% receive free or reduced lunch, and there are a high number of English as a Second Language students. He said three teachers at Johnson are being eliminated in the School budget. He said this will increase the burden on other administrators and teachers. He said he thinks funds for the three-year old program could be reallocated as only 16 children are proposed to be served at a cost of $10,000 each. He noted that funding for supplies has also been flat funded or reduced. Ms. Lisa Woolfork, 104 Village Court, said Johnson Elementary School parents object to the School budget as Johnson will lose three teachers. She said she is collecting petition signatures urging the replacement of two teachers. She said Johnson needs low class sizes.