Guilford County’s plan to take on an additional $1.7 billion in debt hit a bump in the road at the North Carolina Local Government Commission (LGC) meeting on Thursday, Sept. 22.
Rather than approving the $1.7 billion in school bonds passed by the voters of Guilford County in the May 26 primary election, the LGC tabled the item and asked for more information.
The LGC, chaired by NC State Treasurer Dale Folwell, must approve the issuance of debt by local governments. It is the responsibility of the LGC to determine if “the amount being borrowed is adequate and reasonable for the projects and is an amount the unit can reasonably afford to repay,” according to the LGC website.
The press release from the North Carolina Department of the State Treasurer states, “However, LGC members had questions about the county taking on more debt, how it would be paid back and whether falling school enrollment trends justify the need. A $300 million bond package was approved in 2020. While voters approved the $1.7 billion in bonds in May, they rejected a referendum to raise sales taxes to pay for it. The county plans to use property taxes instead. School officials said schools in some areas are overcrowded and are badly deteriorating. In tabling the matter, the commission directed county officials to respond in 10 days with enrollment numbers.”
The press release notes that the $1.7 billion is planned to be used “to build three new schools, demolish and rebuild 19 schools, fully renovate 12 schools and invest about $363 million in safety and technology upgrades. No tax increase is expected. The school system now has 126 schools and more than 300 buildings.”
Guilford County Schools enrollment dropped from 73,407 in 2015 to 69,580 in 2021. Enrollment figures are based on the 20th day enrollment.
Greensboro City Councilmember Nancy Hoffmann is a member of the LGC but did not attend the Sept. 22 meeting.
Thanks Skip.
God bless Guilford County. Guilford County is circling the drain. At least the NC State Treasurer, Dale Colwell has some business sense.
Does Nancy Hoffman do one f-ing thing other than deny any knowledge of what’s going on at the Hebrew? 4 more years of geriatric useless council combined with one person running it on the county side. Counting the days until I can leave the Gate City
In July 2022 Senator Thom Tillis and Representative Richard Hudson wrote a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas expressing concern over the decision by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to house illegal alien minors at the American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro and requested answers to questions posed in the letter regarding intent of ORR in the matter. A reply by August 8 was requested. It would be interesting to know ORR’s reply; or anyone in the administration including Kathy Manning.
First, the illegal aliens break our laws. Now taxpayers are paying to house the illegal aliens at a cost of $50M. The illegal aliens are benefitting from a crime they committed. This entire arrangement is political and orchestrated to benefit the American Hebrew Academy, local politicians and Kathy Manning who is up for re-election. Remember that the AHA received over $1,500,000.00 from covid relief fund. The loan was then forgiven. This loan should be investigated by the IRS as well as most covid loans. How can a school that is closed, not in operation, have 50 employees (AHA’s numbers) that need to be paid but were allegedly unable to work because of covid?
Kathy Manning does not deserve to be re-elected. However, people of certain persuasions will continue to vote for her.
Kathy Manning went by her maiden name – Kathy Kaplan – until she decided to run for office, whereupon she decided to adopt her husband’s surname. She has never explained this strange decision, or its timing. Some suspect that she wanted to sound less Jewish (she is Jewish).
Can’t table it for long and a drop of 5,000 students will not be an adequate argument for over riding the will of the voters.
Really little town the will of the people so please explain how the voter ID law that the “people” voted on got tabled by a liberal judge the will of the people. It “will” rise up again.
Associate Judge Anita Earls is a fiction writer making up stories and ideas calling them judicial opinions. Her written opinion regarding the NAACP lawsuit should be discredited by judges everywhere. Yet, all Democrats on the NC Supreme Court voted with her. At election time, a vote for a judge should be well-considered. Review the candidate’s writings. If Judge Earls had been well-considered by voters, she would not have been elected. Judge Earls is a Karen. She appeals to those of certain persuasions.
I hope all of y’all can swim. This ship is sinkin’ fast.
I have screen shots if what you allow on this platform, don’t know why my comments keep get deleted?
Maybe it’s Karma or it could be the “will” of us people
Thanks Mr. Folwell.. this county needs all the help it can get as there are few people with any business sense — only politicians with questionable ethics.