• $254 million (growth school construction)
• $  83 million (growth for school sites)
• $337 million (total estimated growth needs)

GOP proposes limits on school bonds 11/21/2005 12:56 PM By: Rob Boisvert, News 14 Carolina CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A nearly $500 million school bond referendum was voted down on Election Day, leaving local lawmakers with the task of coming up with a new plan to finance school expansion and renovation. Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill James, a Republican, says the bond failure is partly due to the public’s mistrust of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district’s ability to spend money efficiently. He says Republican commissioners are proposing bond limits. Republican county commissioner Bill James has proposed bond limits for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “We have stated for years that we believe CMS needs an annual capital limit of $110, $120 or $130 million a year,” he said. “That translates into something’s going to have to be cut compared to the $427 (million).  “Since growth is the highest priority we have and we have to build a seat for children who show up, there is a tough choice to make. You cannot give everyone what they want and have an affordable bond package and you cannot build suburban schools with a bond package and afford to do renovation in the inner-city.” Although there likely will not be a consensus agreement on a new bond package; James says there may be enough people in agreement to have a new package on the ballot in November.

 

1. Establish Annual limit: The County should establish a reasonable annual bond limit for CMS ($110 to no more than $130 million a year) to avoid serious tax implications. There are limits and government must learn to live within its means.
2. Limit Referendum to two years of needs: The County should limit the size of the bond package to no more than two years of construction plus land acquisitions. For example, if the annual limit is $110 million, the total package would be $220 million plus land acquisition dollars.
3. Re-Prioritize Existing Bonds: CMS should re-visit and re-prioritize current unspent bond money focusing on the re-allocation of money for those projects that are no longer needed after the assignment plan change in 2001. Currently, CMS will have $139 million in bonds that will be sold in January 2006 and spent on school construction in 2006. Of that amount, $54 million is from G. O. Bonds that could be re-prioritized. $18 million of that $54 million is for the much discussed "Marie G. Davis".
4. A Seat for 'each child' outweighs a 'new seat': CMS should recognize that building a seat for 'each child' is more important than building a "new" seat for 'every child'.
5. A Hierarchy of Discipline and a Reform School: CMS should revisit it's student discipline policy and develop a hierarchy of punishment and the construction of 24/7 'reform school' for severely delinquent children.

County Property taxes increase from $321 million to $697 million - 116.42% over 11 years      1995 2006 Change $ Change % Yearly Ave Adjusted  (a)  (b)       County Property Tax  $ 321,860,524  $   696,555,751  $ 374,695,227 116.42% 10.58% County Sales Tax   $  72,832,732  $   146,660,942  $  73,828,210 101.37% 9.22% County Sales tax for CMS  $  13,171,525  $     21,700,000  $    8,528,475 64.75% 5.89% County only budget (County funds)   $ 412,812,127  $   877,995,855  $ 465,183,728 112.69% 10.24% Total County Budget (all funds)  $ 820,319,270  $1,235,506,223  $ 415,186,953 50.61% 4.60%           Adjustment Notes           (a):            FY 05 County Property Tax includes amount allocated to Capital Reserve      FY 05 County Sales Tax - includes amount allocated to the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund   County only budget (County funds) & Total County Budget (all funds) changed from FY 05 Adopted to FY 05 Amended (b):           FY 06 amounts changed to reflect the approved budget.         SOURCE: MECKLENBURG COUNTY GOVERNMENT

 

 

                  

 

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Mecklenburg County Government
600 East Fourth Street 11th Floor
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: 704-336-2472
Fax: 704-846-6538 Bill@billjames.org