Chamber supports 2005 Johnston County school bond referendum

February 25, 2005

The Chamber’s Board of Directors has gone on record in support of the $95 million Johnston County Public School and Community College Bond Referendum, scheduled for a vote on May 10.

With nearly 1,400 new students entering the schools each year, and the system now at capacity, schools must be built. Johnston County is the fastest growing county in North Carolina, and projections show that it will continue to grow at a rapid rate.

The $85 million in bonds for the public schools offers the option of long term financing, which means new residents over the next 20 years will help pay for them.

Most Chamber members favor bonds as the preferred method of paying for new schools. According to a recent membership survey, other possible solutions, such as transfer taxes, developer fees or raising the property tax rate, ranked much lower. County leaders have stated that no tax increases will be needed to pay back the bond.

All areas of the county will benefit from the public school bond. Three new schools are to be built in the western portion of the county. In the Smithfield-Selma area, projects are slated for South Smithfield Elementary School and Smithfield-Selma High School. Also, the old Smithfield High School building on Third Street will be renovated for  an operations facility.

In addition to the public school needs, $10 million of the bond is proposed for expansion programs at Johnston Community College.The bond  will help pay for a new building for Emergency Services training (law enforcement, fire and rescue), an addition to the health services building and needed renovations around the Smithfield campus.