House speaker promises push on school construction

House Speaker Tim Moore threw his political weight behind the idea Thursday, saying he'll back a package next year at the legislature to borrow the money for construction statewide. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson backed the idea as well.

The announcement came one day after Moore, R-Cleveland, was re-nominated as speaker of the House by his Republican colleagues, and Moore said he plans to travel the state pushing the proposal.

School and teacher groups have been clamoring for this sort of funding and have criticized the Republican majority at the legislature for not putting the bond package in front of voters this year.

If the idea clears the legislature, voters across the state would be asked to approve the debt during the 2020 primaries, Moore said.

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The proposal would raise $1.3 billion for K-12 construction, a cost typically borne by local governments. Moore proposed another $300 million for construction at the state's university system and $300 million for building needs at North Carolina's community colleges.

Moore said the K-12 grants should be weighted to help lower-income counties first, as well as those with critical construction needs. Because property tax dollars are a primary way school systems fund school construction, counties with lower property values often struggle to keep up with needs. Fast-growing counties have difficulties as well.

Moore also called for a focus on workforce training at community colleges and universities, with a particular emphasis on technical jobs.

"Those facilities are expensive," the speaker said.

It wasn't immediately clear where the state Senate, which would have to approve this measure for it to go before voters, stood on the proposal.

The North Carolina Association of Educators said it was glad House leaders have come "to the realization that many of our schools are in dire need of repair and renovation."

"Unfortunately, our public school students will have to wait two more years when there was bipartisan support to put this issue on the ballot this year," NCAE President Mark Jewell said in a statement.