Lawmakers Seek Ways to Fund New Schools Statewide

Raleigh, N.C. — Could a statewide school construction bond help school systems across North Carolina deal with student population growth?

"That's the best way to get support to those areas where they're not going to raise money," said Rep. Jeff Barnhart, R-Cabarrus. "Let's face it: If there's not money in a county, it's kind of hard to raise it."

The bond is one of several options that members of the state House Select Committee on Public School Funding is studying to help fund an estimated $10 billion needed to cover school growth.

Another proposed option is local impact fees and land-transfer taxes. Although that plan could generate hundreds of millions of dollars, it is not popular with the developers, real estate agents and home-buyers.

"That's a fee on the developer," said Rep. Julia Howard, R-Davie. "That starts out the throw, but that developer's only going to pass it on down the line."

Other school-funding ideas include local-option sales tax for all counties, a streamlined code approval process for schools and a sales tax exemption for school building materials and equipment. Each option would require local approval.

"Every county is going to have to evaluate its own needs and what the people say," said Rep. Linda Coleman, D-Wake.

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Latest Comments

These developers that make a bizillion dollars a year need to build schools with the neighborhoods OR not be allowed to build at all.

peaceout
January 10, 2007 7:45 p.m.

If we could stop spending all this money in the war, we'd have plenty of money for the schools. Millions a day are spent at war while our kids suffer.

turtlepit77
January 10, 2007 4:37 p.m.

I agree with maltonr2 - How many vice principals and administrators does it take to screw in a light bulb??? Let's cut the overhead and use some of the money to buy supplies and defray some of the other costs. Oh! and quit the social experiments with busing the children all over hell's half acre.

midnightclay
January 10, 2007 11:55 a.m.

Ok, the lottery does help with education. You people that expect things to happen at the snap of your finger need wake up from your dreamland. The lottery is to help take care of education, not be the only source.Its not that hard to understand.The people in charge need to be doing what they are suppose to. The wasting of monies needs to stop. We pay taxes here just as the rest of you do. How many of you would start complaining if we had to pay for the books are kids use before they get them,pay for your child(ren) to have a desk to sit at and so on? As it is, parents and teachers spend money to send in supplies because they are cutting back the amount teachers get to use. Have any of you stopped to think about that?

diwanicki
January 10, 2007 9:17 a.m.

Tjmarshburn...don't know if your ideas would work, but thank you for being so insightful to the other sides of this story. We'd be in a better position if more people thought like you. Thank you for your post!

kstor33
January 10, 2007 8:46 a.m.