Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston has been leading the charge when it comes to getting county voters to approve a $1.7 billion school bond that will be on the May 17 ballot.
Alston and other county commissioners planned to visit Northwest Middle School and Northwest High School at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
Alston is making it no secret that one of the main goals of the commissioners’ tours of schools is to draw the attention of county voters to the renovation and construction needs of the aging schools in the Guilford County School system. Alston always invites the media along to publicize what’s in need of repair or replacement.
Two years ago, Guilford County’s voters approved a $300 million bond package for school repairs and school replacement. However, school officials argue loudly that the school system needs a whole lot more than that.
In fact, some argue that a $1.7 billion bond package isn’t enough given current school needs.
On Wednesday afternoon, Alston and other commissioners that attend also plan to meet with Northwest Middle School Principal Denise Francisco and Northwest High School Principal Ashley Young to discuss the schools’ needs.
Alston and the other county commissioners supporting the coming giant school bond referendum are also pushing for voters to approve a quarter-cent increase in the county’s sales tax to help pay for the bonds should that referendum pass. If the bonds pass, the county will have to pay back the $1.7 billion plus what’s expected to be 2 or 3 percent interest for at least two decades.
I’m all for good safe schools but handing this kind of money to this government doesn’t make sense based on past and present performance.
How about this-an itemized list of needs in order of need-with an estimate of the funding needed.Show the taxpayer where the funds are needed and show estimated costs.
The practice of giving bureaucrats a basket of money to waste on whatever they wish needs to stop.
Just the incompetent monopoly Government Schools trying to rip off the hard working taxpayers – again.
If the schools are in such drastic disrepair, the obvious question is : where has all the money gone?
More taxes….pushed by Democrats…will equal fat pockets on Democrats, with the $ balance down the rat hole….again.
No amount of money will fix our schools. Stop indoctrinating our children with leftist agenda. “Just the facts m’am.”
They can learn with a log cabin with windows and a stove heater as a classroom.
In agreement with all the above comments. I often wonder how our school get into such bad physical condition with poor HVAC, roofs leaking, plumbing problems, etc. In the private world businesses have to make continuous improvements to stay competitive and vivid enterprises. You can put off building and equipment maintenance for year after year. It would be a great study to look at the “real” needs of the education machine in terms of educators versus administrators. Probably a huge dollar savings opportunity there.