JLF continues to generate media coverage about the implications of the Charlotte/Mecklenburg school bond referendum that will be on November’s ballot. Last week, multiple media outlets ran stories based on a JLF press conference, at which John Hood and Terry Stoops discussed a new policy report which analyzes Charlotte’s school construction efforts. Broadcast coverage included stories on the CBS and ABC affiliates in Charlotte, plus WBT-AM talk radio, which led off several newscasts with JLF’s prediction of a 22 percent property-tax increase if the school system’s 10-year capital plan is implemented. This week, The Rhino Times picked up the story, and the Charlotte Observer’s web site referenced JLF on its “Bond Debate: Pros and Cons” page, describing JLF as the place “for a report on construction costs and tax impact.” The Observer also mentioned JLF in a Monday editorial. On Friday, Stoops was interviewed by News14 Carolina, and next Thursday night, Lindalyn Kakadelis will participate in a bond debate sponsored by the League of Women of Voters, as noted by the Charlotte Observer.
Framing the Debate Over Charlotte’s School Bonds