Wake voters say yes: Build more schools

The $970 million bond approval will have quick impact as dozens of projects go ahead

Wake County will immediately begin work on the largest school construction program in its history following voter approval Tuesday of $970 million in bonds.

The campaign by school, business and civic leaders repeatedly drove home the point that bonds were the cheapest way to provide classroom seats for up to 32,000 more students expected to enroll by 2010. Education officials also said rejecting the bonds could lead to mass conversions of schools to a year-round calendar, high schools operating on split sessions and renovation projects being cut.

It's a message that seemed to resonate with voters, with 53 percent saying yes, according to unofficial totals that included about 97 percent of the precincts.

"I think that we have a good school system, and the way to keep it is to make adequate classrooms for the students, and that requires more schools," said Hal Worth, 67, of Raleigh, a real estate executive. "And this is the cheapest and most efficient way to get there."

The bonds will pay for most of a $1.056 billion plan that will:

•Build 17 new schools, including 15 year-round elementary and middle schools.

•Convert 22 schools to a year-round calendar next year.

•Purchase land for 13 future schools.

•Renovate 13 schools.

•Make smaller repairs at 100 schools.

•Purchase new computers.

Wake currently enrolls 128,072 students, likely making it the 21st largest district in the country.

With Wake projected to gain 94,000 students by 2020, plans are already under way for another bond referendum in 2008 or 2009. Counting Tuesday's vote, four bond referendums that are part of a $4.2 billion plan are tentatively scheduled through 2014.

"They never have enough money," said Cynthia Deis, 38, of Raleigh, a business owner with two children. "I'm hoping it will help ease some of the overcrowding and some of the disparities between the school buildings."

With more than $500,000 raised in campaign funds, Friends of Wake County, the nonprofit group formed to promote the bond issue, mounted a major advertising campaign. They told voters it was their civic duty to support the bonds.

"We need to do something," said Wallace Finlator Jr., 61, a lawyer from west Raleigh who voted yes. "What are we going to do? Whatever helps the schools will help us all in the long run."

Bond supporters overcame an aggressive opposition campaign.

Some opposed the bond issue because of the mandatory year-round schools. Despite threats that voting no could lead to more year-round schools, bond opponents hoped they could force the school system to change its mind.

"The more I found out about it the more convinced I was to vote this particular bond down because of the mandatory year-round," said Juliann Zoetmulder, 33, of Cary.

Some were upset about the property tax increase, $70.50 more per year on a $150,000 home, that would be generated by the bonds. Others wanted to force large-scale reforms such as splitting Wake into several smaller schools, more neighborhood schools and lifting the state cap on charter schools.

"I just don't have confidence in the school board and how they're spending money," said Joe Tryzenski, 71, of North Raleigh.

Fran DeLuca, state director of the N.C. chapter of Americans for Prosperity -- a group opposed to the bond issue -- conceded defeat but pledged in a prepared statement to push on with the organization's efforts:

"We look forward to a continued discussion of and a serious effort to incorporate the many alternatives that we discussed including additional public charter schools, sensible construction practices, and creative solutions to deal with the challenge of expanding capacity in the school system."

Bond supporters recognized the anger that some voters felt about school spending, tax increases, student reassignment and year-round schools. Toward the end of the race, they sent out fliers and ran television and radio ads urging voters not to show anger against the school system by voting no.

Derek Kucel voted yes despite some misgivings.

"Education is important for the future, although I wish they'd spend the money more efficiently," said Kucel, 40, a telephone company worker from Cary.

Rebecca Long, 78, a retired Wake County school teacher from North Raleigh, also voted yes despite wondering about school spending practices.

"I would hope they would spend the money wiser this time," Long said. "A lot of times they spend the money but don't know where it went."

Hazel Smith was thinking of her 11-year-old granddaughter, Maggie Falk, a sixth-grader at Moore Square Middle School, as she voted for the bonds.

"It's for the future of our neighborhoods, our cities and our children," said Smith, 63, who was joined at her North Raleigh polling place by Falk. "It's our responsibility to the children."

(Staff writers Bruce Siceloff and Todd Silberman contributed to this report.)

Results

Yes53%

(104,717)

No47%

(92,810)

99% PRECINCTS REPORTING