N.C. Bonds for New Schools in 2008?

By Ann Doss Helms, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Jan. 5–A coalition of N.C. educators and business leaders will launch a push for 2008 statewide school construction bonds with a meeting in Charlotte on Monday.

State officials say public schools need $9.8 billion for new schools and renovations over the next five years. Leaders of the bond push say neither local school bonds nor the new N.C. Education Lottery will provide enough to meet that need.

Educators from Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Union, Gaston and other nearby school districts will talk Monday about needs in their booming districts.

The last state school bond vote was in 1996, when voters approved $1.8 billion. CMS got $119.8 million.

The coalition, called “Education: Everybody’s Business,” is made up of the N.C. School Boards Association, N.C. School Administrators Association, N.C. Citizens for Business and Industry, Council of Chamber of Commerce Executives and N.C. Public School Forum.

The first of eight regional public forums takes place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Bonnie Cone Center at UNC Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd. For more information, contact Jo Ann Norris at the Raleigh-based Public School Forum, 919-781-6833, ext. 106.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

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