The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board voted 8-1 Tuesday to ask county commissioners to put $3 billion in school bonds before voters in a November referendum.
Members acknowledged it’s a big number: More than triple what Mecklenburg County voters approved for schools six years ago. The CMS request would shatter the North Carolina record of $1.7 billion in school bonds, approved by Guilford County voters last year.
“To some this could look like a huge number,” said board member Dee Rankin, recently elected to represent northeast Charlotte. “But our kids and our students are worth it. This is an investment for the future.”
The school board will make their pitch to Mecklenburg County commissioners in a joint meeting Saturday morning. Commissioners ultimately decide how much to put up for a referendum — and set the tax rates for paying the bonds back. So far county officials have been talking about $2.5 billion in CMS bonds. That’s half a billion less than the current CMS plan, which would require eliminating some projects.
School board members said CMS needs a big infusion of investment to pay for repairs, renovations and replacements of aging school buildings.
“It’s a lot of money in tough times. But if we don’t provide for our children things will get tougher, said Lisa Cline, recently elected to represent south Charlotte and Pineville.
Thelma Byers Bailey, who represents west Charlotte, said “the school that these students come to on a daily basis speaks volumes to whether or not we really care about them.”
The only board member to cast a “no” vote expressed similar concerns — and said the $3 billion request doesn’t go far enough. Jennifer De La Jara said she thought the request should be bigger, to cover more needs.
“Just the 10 projects alone we’ve cut already equate to 7,000 students who won’t have an optimal learning environment,” she said, referring to an initial 40-project list the board considered in January. Interim Superintendent Crystal Hill and her staff trimmed that to 30 projects in February, saying that package represents a more realistic request that CMS can carry out over the next five to seven years.
And while the one-time request seems big, De La Jara said Wake County has invested $3.9 billion in schools over the past 22 years, compared with $2.3 billion in CMS. While De La Jara didn’t vote for the request Tuesday, she added that she will be “the biggest cheerleader” when a bond package goes before voters.
The board also voted unanimously Tuesday to make changes to arts and Montessori magnets that are tied to renovations, and to add several magnet programs at Garinger High. They plan to consider additional changes to magnets, boundaries and grade levels later.