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Wake Taxpayers Association Voices Opposition To School Bond Proposal

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The

Wake County School System

has proposed a $450 million bond referendum that would allow for 13 new schools, 16 renovations and 61 repair projects to be completed by 2008. On Wednesday, people opposed to the bond referendum made their opinions known.

The

Wake County Taxpayer's Association

are encouraging voters to say no to the bonds. Their position goes back to 2000 when opponents worked together on an outline to pass a bond proposal.

Opponents feel promises were not kept to implement more year-round and charter schools. They also feel a tax increase is inevitable to operate a new school.

"When you build new schools, you have to put people in them to run them, which is an increase in operating cost, but will that raise taxes, no one knows at this point," county commissioner Herb Council said.

Council and Horace Johnson, of Friends of Wake County, said this is a "plan" that will not initially raise taxes.

"Versus no plan that could result in a requirement of a tax increase to fund the housing for all the new kids coming into this school," he said.

For weeks,

supporters

have been handing out signs and talking about getting out the vote. They have also started an ad campaign highlighting the number of new students entering schools each year.

Superintendent Bill McNeal said that three year-round schools were added since 2000, three more are included in this plan. He also said the school system sent a resolution to the state to add more charter schools to Wake County because of overcrowding.

The school system expects 20,000 additional students in four years. The bond referendum goes before voters Tuesday.

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