Senate ignores schools

Editorial by Greenville Daily Reflector, September 22, 2015.

The State Senate’s shortsighted vision for public schools is reflected again in its scaled-down $2 billion bond proposal released Monday. While the House version, and that of Gov. Pat McCrory, calls for a $2.85 billion bond to be put before voters — with $500 million for public school construction — the Senate wants a $2 billion bond with no money for public schools.

Stripping away investment in public education is what taxpayers have come to expect from the GOP-controlled Legislature, but the Senate appears bent on carrying that lack of support to unacceptable extremes.

There are components of the Senate’s bond proposal that are especially positive for Pitt County. From the $921.7 million of debt proceeds going to the University of North Carolina system, East Carolina University tops a list of 11 new projects that would be funded from that pot. The biggest project is ECU’s life sciences and biotechnology building at $124.5 million.

Fast-growing Pitt Community College also would receive a share of $400 million the Senate plan spreads among the state’s 58 community college campuses.

For the state’s infrastructure needs, the Senate plan sends more of the debt to local water and sewer maintenance needs, with $100 million in grants and nearly $351 million in low-interest loans for drinking water and wastewater reserves.

A news release emailed Monday from the office of Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger emphasized the state’s infrastructure needs.

“North Carolina has long faced challenges with its aging infrastructure,” the release said, “a problem intensified by the state’s rapidly growing population and lack of funding to meet needs because of previous hard economic times.”

All true. Replace the word “infrastructure” with “public schools,” however, and the sentence still holds true.

Funding for teacher aids and driver’s education were two of the main sticking points between the House and Senate as they worked overtime on a budget compromise bill. Now it looks as if the bond referendum issue will have investment in public schools as a primary difference as well.

Gov. McRory wanted a fall referendum for the infrastructure bond to take advantage of low interest rates. This Legislature has its square wheels on, however, and it will probably be March before the bond is put before voters.

One sure bet is that when all is said and done, any infrastructure funding for the state’s public schools will be far short of the growing needs in that area — something else voters should keep in mind.

http://www.reflector.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-senate-ignores-schools-2989593