People in Rockingham reacted Wednesday to the rejection of a four percent meals tax Tuesday night.

Revenue from the meals tax would have created money for public schools. However, the numbers show that while more than 15,000 people were in favor of it, more than 17,000 were against it.

Renee Reed, a member of the Rockingham County council of PTA's, says she was very much in favor of the meals tax and is not satisfied that it didn't pass.

"The reality is, that next year, the budget will be very tight, and this would have added the extra dollars that they will need to help make up those deficits," says Reed.

The county is building several new schools, and the money from the meals tax was projected to create hundreds of thousands of dollars, which would have gone to schools in the county.

On the other side, restaurant owner Rosario Alfieri is pleased that the meals tax did not pass. He is also a home owner, and says he's also not in favor of generating the revenue through increased property taxes.

"It think they should find another way. I don't think it's fair to try to tax the people living in the county," says Alfieri.

However, that's just one option into which the county has been looking to come up with funds.

"We have to wait to see what happens with the state's budget cuts, and how those will impact us. Then we take a look at other revenues that we have from the county," says Rockingham County Administrator Joe Paxton.

The county is also looking into cuts or reductions in other programs to make up the money. Officials say fee increases are a last resort.