Harvey Gantt: I’m voting ‘yes’ on the school bond package - and you should | Opinion
I was pleased when our Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board and administration put forth a major bond issue to our community to address long standing physical facility needs that would improve greatly the environment for teaching across all of Charlotte.
At a time in our state where public education funding is under serious threat from our legislature, it was refreshing to see our local schools taking bold steps to make our public schools better.
Historically, over the last four decades, our community has supported public education and most bond issues. In Charlotte- Mecklenburg, most citizens, across all economic spectrums, remain invested in public schools. School board meetings are alive, and healthy debates over how we educate our children demonstrate that we care. We should never take that concern and interest for granted. Too many cities around the country show signs that a good part of their communities have lost interest in public schools and there is a high cost for this benign neglect.
I feel good about the overwhelming support for this bond package that I see from our citizens. Nevertheless, I have heard some opposition from some respected leaders related to timing and size of the bond issue, increased taxes and loss of ownership due to accelerated gentrification. These may be reasonable concerns, but none are compelling enough to deny our children what they need over the next decade.
The $2.5 billion in the bond package builds and renovates schools all over the county, including many in our poorest neighborhoods. The bonds backed by our votes will afford the county the cheapest interest rates, which will mean lower tax increases (estimated at $40 per year on a home valued at $400,000).
In a growing county, we will need to improve our schools anyway, and the county will have to deal with higher costs and higher interest rates using other methods of financing.
The issue of gentrification is real, but it is a stretch to suggest that this bond referendum, with a relatively low tax increase, will have an impact on gentrification either way.
I sincerely hope Mecklenburg County voters will join me in supporting our children, our school board, teachers and staff and get to the polls by Nov. 7 and vote ‘Yes!’ on the school bond package.
This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 10:18 AM.