The N&R’s Lanita Withers follows up on Guilford Technical Community College’s $75 million bond proposal:
GTCC’s request for a spot on the fall ballot for a bond referendum may seem familiar to Guilford County voters. If approved by the county commissioners Thursday, the $75 million request will be the third since 2000 to be passed on to citizens.
The college has received more than $100 million in bond money for new construction, renovations, land acquisition and equipment upgrades since 2000.
Meanwhile, Mark Binker writes (in the print edition) that Gov. Mike Easley is wary of the General Assembly’s plans to borrow hundred of million of dollars without voter approval. With that in mind, Easley also said:
…..legislators should target borrowing for certain obligations unique to the state. “The state builds prisons and nobody else is going to do that,” Easley said. He also mentioned university and community college projects as well as needs in the mental health system.
Anyone else find GTCC President Don Cameron’s explanation that the bond proposal “comes on the heels of new industry and jobs” intersesting, especially since the college has received more than $100 million in bond money since 2000? Correct me if I’m wrong, but Piedmont Triad International Airport has focused on becoming a working airport (as opposed to a passenger hub) pretty much since it landed the FedEx hub in 1998.
So Cameron’s had plenty of time and money to take GTCC in that direction. With that in mind, you have to wonder where the money’s gone.
