Last night Mecklenburg?s School Board decided on a $620.7 million bond package to send over to the County Commissioners. The Charlotte Observer calls it: ?Record-shattering, much higher than advised.?
The Superintendent?s proposal was $403 million, but after the CMS Board of Education got a hold of his proposal, they added their own personal pet projects, an increase of $217.7 million.
Less than 11 months ago, the School Building Solution Committee recommended a 2007 Bond referendum of NO MORE THAN $400 MILLION. There were specific reasons for this amount. First, the $400 million gave CMS $200 million per year to spend, continuing a forward moving, reasonable construction program. It is difficult for CMS to spend more than that amount in one year without flooding the construction market, and reckless political spending. Second, this gave the School Board time to gain public trust for another referendum in 2009. A survey conducted after the 2005 defeat found ?wasting money,? and an ?incompetent School Board? as the top reasons voters defeated the bonds.
Dr. Gorman?s bond proposal demonstrated some attention to recommendations from the broad base community committee. The School Board?s actions demonstrate their defiance and arrogance. This is exactly what happened in 2005. Isn?t insanity doing the same thing over again expecting different results?
Amazingly, only two weeks ago the Board approved an operating budget that increased spending by 10.6 percent over this current year. The public continues to question the efficiency of the system. An example: Decentralization is costing the system $6 million, but the Citizens Task Force report clearly states on page 16, ?Given the current size of the CMS central office, we are confident that a robust area administrative structure can be created without additional cost and may in fact provide an opportunity for cost savings.? Let me remind you this report was not written by a ?right-wing? conservative conspiracy. One wonders if anything has change at CMS regarding efficient and effective business practices.
Another issue for consideration is the possible $2 billion statewide school construction bond. CMS seems to be oblivious regarding other issues on the ballot. At some point the taxpayer is simply going to vote NO because of being bombarded with increases at every turn. Some City Council members warned of a city tax increase. County property taxes increased LAST YEAR, and we are again looking at possible property tax increases, especially with higher bond debts. The Boston Tea Party in Mecklenburg is happening with folks moving across county lines, and even into South Carolina.
Some think since a large school bond was passed in Wake County last year, the same can happen in Mecklenburg. Wonder if they realize the bond campaign in Wake spent nearly $600,000, and won only by a small majority, 53 percent.
This morning both the Charlotte Observer, and WBT radio are conducting polls on how folks will vote on the bonds. At this time, both polls show the public is voting NO. Rumor has the company that ran the Wake Bond Campaign has approached folks in Mecklenburg County to run the campaign here. Wonder who will be the first to contribute? Maybe the School Board?
