Cooper, House, Senate have different plans for school construction

A proposal to seek voter approval next year on $1.9 billion in bonds for school and higher education facilities will go before House lawmakers next week and is expected to pass with strong bipartisan support.
Posted 3/9/2019, 12:42:49 AM

WAS NO SIGN OF FOUL PLAY.

>>> STATE LAWMAKERS WILL VOTE

ON A $1.9 MILLION BOND LAST

WEEK.

IF IT PASSES, IT WOULD GIVE $10

MILLION TO HELP BUILD OR REPAIR

K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS.

COUNTIES THAT HAVE LOW INCOME

OR ARE GROWING MORE RAPIDLY

WOULD GET MORE MONEY.

>> KATHRYN, IT'S LIKELY TO PASS

WHEN IT COMES UP FOR A VOTE.

REASON IS HOUSE SPEAKER BILL

MOORE.

SAID THIS TIME, HE FEELS IT'S A

CRITICAL ISSUE.

REASON NUMBER 2, AS MENTIONED,

EVERETT COUNTY WOULD GET $10

MILLION UNDER THAT BOND.

THE FINANCIAL NEED FOR SCHOOL

CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

AROUND THE STATE IS MORE THAN

$8 BILLION.

AND THAT WAS BEFORE HURRICANES

MATTHEW AND FLORENCE DAMAGED

SCORES OF SCHOOLS OUT EAST.

MOST OF THE BOND MONEY WOULD GO

TO K12 STUDENTS THAT IS

WEIGHTED TO HELP THE COUNTIES

WITH THE GREATEST NEED.

AND IT WOULD BE DIVIDED UP TO

HELP THE FORMULA.

MOORE HIMSELF INTRODUCED THE

BILL IN THE HOUSE BUDGET

COMMITTEE THIS WEEK.

HE SAID THE STATE IS IN GOOD

PHYSICAL SHAPE RIGHT NOW AND

CAN'T AFFORD TO BORROW $1.9

MILLION WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

>>> AND ROUGHLY ABOUT ONE IN

EVERY 10 YEARS HISTORICALLY,

THIS STATE HAS HAD A BOND

PROPOSAL OF SOME KIND.

1996 WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD A

BOND PROPOSAL.

>> SOME DEMOCRATS SAY THE BOND

SHOULD BE LARGER, BECAUSE THE

NEEDS ARE SO GREAT.

GOVERNOR COOPER WOULD ALSO

PROPOSE.

THEY SAY IT'S TOO MUCH FOR THE

DEBT CAPACITY TO HANDLE.

SENATE LEADER PHIL BERGER HAS

LEFT A PAY AS YOU GO.

>> LAURA LESLIE, THANK YOU.

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