CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — A big decision is on the way about how to pay for improvements to schools in Cabarrus County, and Tuesday night is the final step before a bond proposal could land in the hands of voters.
Channel 9 Cabarrus County Reporter Hannah Goetz has been following the school budget issues and growth for months. Tuesday night, Cabarrus County Commissioners will decide if a massive spending package will be put on the ballot for voters to choose.
Goetz spoke to some voters in the county, and they all have differing opinions on whether they would support the bond if it makes it on the November ballot.
“It’s something I would vote for because the schools are in need, they need good teachers and their buildings need to be bigger,” one voter told Goetz.
“I don’t think they ought to make the taxpayers pay it,” said another voter.
One thing they all agree on is the amount of growth Cabarrus County has seen over the years.
“It’s crazy, you could ride around here and it’s nobody, hardly. It’s overflowing now,” one neighbor said.
“The schools were small when we first moved here. They’ve gotten bigger, but not big enough, and they’re not putting that into the issue,” another neighbor said.
We’ve shown you the crowded schools, mobile units and more construction. The county is growing, and so are the costs.
The bond proposal includes $400 million total for Cabarrus County Schools, Kannapolis City Schools, and Rowan Cabarrus Community College. Over the next decade, capital needs for the local school systems are estimated to exceed $1 billion.
For Cabarrus County Schools alone, that includes paying for new schools or additional capacity projects to match population growth; maintenance to HVAC, roofs and parking lots; and new auditoriums.
The bond proposal will place the decision to issue the bonds directly in the hands of voters. Tuesday night, commissioners will decide whether to approve both bond orders, and then decide whether to combine them into one question on the ballot.
If approved, voters will have the final say in November.