The Bond Proposal is too big and wasteful.

3 Reasons to oppose Bond:

1. They are proposing a 20th century solution to a 21st century education problem, more monster, factory schools, more reassignments, more forced busing. Parents want community schools, charter schools and most of all they want options and protection from reassignments and uncertainty!
2. The school system can.t possibly spend a billion dollars efficiently in the next several years; it is still spending the $450 million from the last 2003 bond. The pro bond forces say we have to pass this bond to save $54 million, which will probably be swallowed up by waste, inefficiency and possibly even fraud if the past history of education spending in Wake County is any indication.
3. This proposal will raise taxes on top of the other tax increases we have already had this year and will probably continue to have each year. It is not just the extra $70.50 each year on a $150,000 house . it is the cumulative effect of taxes and the more than $125/month in property tax that makes a $150,000 house in most of Wake County unaffordable for first time or low or moderate income buyers.

Alternatives to wasteful bond and tax increases:

1. A bond of $600 million that does not require a property tax increase and will give the WCPSS time to show that it is really open to new ideas.
2. Give the newly passed Public/Private Partnerships for building schools a chance to work. (Senate Bill 2009 / S.L. 2006-232 - Sen. Malone)
3. More Charter Schools as promised in 2000 after the bond failed in 1999. The board in Feb of this year showed that it would not keep a promise made to voters to support more Charter schools.
4. Work with developers to build schools as part of development and agree to set aside some seats for children from that development for a certain number of years. (voluntary impact fee if you will)
5. Deconsolidation of the Wake system into smaller more manageable parts - by statute in the long run - in the short run divide up into attendance zones so that parents will know in what .area. their children will attend school. With over 1,200 bureaucrats in the central office they should be able to handle this without added personnel
6. Experiment with virtual schools and other options that do not require actual construction.
7. For construction savings - No renovations, other than health and safety, that do not add capacity over existing attendance at a school. If an old school is in too poor of shape and the lot is too small . sell the property (probably worth a lot) and build a new school. More cost efficient building practices and smaller campuses. Have County take over building and managing schools as has been suggested in past.

Francis X. De Luca, State Director
Americans for Prosperity and AFP Foundation - North Carolina