State school bond needed

18/19 07 2007 -Last week Wayne County Schools officials made a presentation
on a proposed state school facilities bond issue. They punctuated the
presentation with a look at their own needs across Wayne County.
While we can argue about how county commissioners across
the state are addressing funding priorities, there is no doubt they
are struggling to pay all of the bills they are presented to pay. The
General Assembly recognizes that something has to be done to deal
with the growing Medicaid bills.
There is growing momentum for title transfer fees to help fastgrowing
counties keep up with growth that
taxes their resources, but for some that help
isn’t here yet.
Low-growth counties are struggling just
to pay the regular bills, with the low tax
base they have.
Ten years ago a state school bond was
passed, and this is a great time for another.
I have a growing appreciation for the art
of politics. I know you always catch more
flies with honey than vinegar. I know there
are many things on the agenda in Raleigh,
and recognize that timing is very important.
I want to believe that this proposed bond
issue is coming at the right time. I hope the environment is right
for a number of people in Raleigh to jump on this issue. I hope the
environment is right for there to be expectations that it will pass easily.
There are smarter people than me, and more importantly, more
politically astute people than me, who are strategizing all of these
things.
Rightly, we individually usually look at such things with the attitude
of “what’s in it for me”.
I know Johnston County Schools have great needs. They wanted
a bigger bond issue than was on the ballot a few months ago, but
agreed to back off.
Wayne Schools have much greater needs than this state bond
will meet, but it will at least get the process started. Hopefully with
county help, more needs will be met.
In the big split of how schools will be funded, traditionally the
state has shouldered the burden of paying the salaries, and the counties
have been responsible for facilities. As it works, however, many
counties are supplementing pay as they try to attract quality teachers
to their staffs. Periodically the state, through state bond issues,
has supplemented what counties are putting into school facilities.
There is knowing give and take here.
A state bond issue is a good idea and it seemingly is a good time
to try to pass it. Please let your state representatives know you support
it.
This may speak to only a few of you, but it seems in the society of
today, we tend to be more widely dispersed.
In generations past the children followed in the family business,
and in farming areas maybe continued to live in the big house after
they got married, until they could afford a house of their own, resettling
then on a nearby piece of land. Today the kids go off to college,
and sometimes never make it back home. (On the other side, some of
you are probably wondering –if reports are correct – if the adult kids
will ever move out.)
We’re fortunate to have our two girls home for the summer, and
over the 4th went to Texas to spend some time with my mother, my
brother, and that side of the family. It had been many years since we
all had been together.
It has been ten years since my late father’s side of the family has
gathered. I called an aunt I hadn’t talked with for a few years and we
had an enjoyable 30-minute visit. I asked her about trying to get us
all together next summer.
We used to have family reunions that we went to every summer,
and I know some still try to get together. As I get older, that becomes
more precious to me.
How about your family? How long has it been since they had a
meaningful gathering? Is it about time?