A political forum held at Congregational Church of Christ last night was sparsely attended by both voters and candidates, and a pitch for the quarter-cent sales tax referendum on the ballot in Guilford County perhaps the most engaging subject on the program.
“In 2008, voters voted $651 million in bond issues,” supporter Bill Guill said. “That equaled six new schools, 15 schools to be renovated. That also included money for the new jail, new money for Guilford Tech as far as the improvement of its campus. In looking at the bond debt payments, that would be an increase of about 8 cents on the property tax per property owner to try to reduce the bond debt. The county commissioners put on the ballot a quarter-cent sales tax. What that would do — it would not be a tax on food, on prescription drugs or gasoline — but also it would bring in $12 million, and 40 percent of that money would come from people outside of Guilford County.”
Guill said approval of the sales tax increase would not necessarily provide adequate revenue to avoid a property tax increase, but it would at least ensure that the burden was shared. He said that a sunset provision for the proposed sales tax increase “has not been discussed at this time.”
Some conservative activists have faulted the Guilford County Commission for putting the bonds on the ballot in the first place and then for enabling a tax increase in times when they would like to see government at all levels tighten the purse strings. So what did the citizens purchase on credit for this bill that’s now coming due?
“It is true that the largest bond is for schools,” said Nancy Routh, an at-large school board member who is defending her seat against challenger Lisa Ingle Clapp. “In 2008, we approved another $457 million for school construction. We’re in the middle of that project at the present time. I mentioned the size of the county, the size of our school system, and the growth that’s there. And a lot of people do not realize how fast we are growing. I was surprised when I first looked at it: In eight years we’ve added 10,000 students.”
Clapp did not attend the candidate forum, and some voters appeared to have difficulty discerning differences in their positions. The best that Routh, who is completing her second term, could offer was this: “I do think sometimes if you have not had more experience and more involvement with schools, you tend to think it’s a one-issue thing. When you’re actually on the board, it is one of the most complex systems in terms of trying to manage the school system. I think point of view may be the biggest difference, but I don’t attempt to speak for other people who need to speak for themselves.”
Routh reserved her hardest shots for Theresa Yon, Republican candidate for NC House District 59, although she did not mention her by name. Yon has proposed a mandate that would require that a minimum of 65 cents out of every dollar allocated for education be spent in the classroom.
“A lot of things get classified as administrative, you’re talking about employees who are bus drivers, who are maintenance folks, who are custodians, who are cafeteria workers — all of those who are necessary to provide the services,” Routh said. “I heard someone talk about recently how they should manage the state allocations for K-12 allocation requiring so many cents out of the dollar to go to the classroom. And I said, ‘Well, define classroom, do you mean that you now want the teacher to have to clean the floor and fix the lunches and all of that which you have to do if you’re going to be maintaining that classroom?”
Showing posts with label Nancy Routh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nancy Routh. Show all posts
Guilford educators back Gladys Robinson in state Senate race
The politically formidable Guilford County Association of Educators, which represents 3,300 education professionals, has made its endorsement picks. The endorsements are helpful to Democrats in the general election, and critical to Democrats in the primary.
Gladys Robinson has received association's nod over Evelyn Robinson in the Democratic primary for NC Senate District 28. Association President Tijuana B. Hayes said Miller did not return her questionnaire. Robinson — who is the favored candidate of the seat's current occupant, Katie Dorsett — boasts on her campaign website of endorsements from the State Employees Association of North Carolina, NC Trial Lawyers and Lillian's List.
The Guilford County Association of Educators endorsement slate strongly favors Democratic incumbents or candidates who have previously held office.
Democrats Alma Adams and Earl Jones, who each have contested primaries for state House seats, received the educators' endorsement, as did Pricey Harrison and Maggie Jeffus. The Republican primary victor in NC House District 57 will face Harrison in November, while Jeffus will go toe to toe with Republican Theresa Yon.
"Maggie and Alma are our A+ legislators," Hayes said. "They voted with the educators on issues that we felt were important. They voted for the Healthy Youth Act, the reinstatement of sick leave, the state health plan blue ribbon task force.... One that we're particularly proud of is the School Violence Prevention Act. We appreciate the probationary teachers appeals [legislation]. It assures that our probationary teachers are provided reasons for nonrenewal in their fourth year. Now, they can appeal to the local school board if their contracts are not renewed."
The educators endorsed Georgia Nixon-Roney in the Republican primary for NC House District 61. With no Democrats in the race, the candidate who prevails in the May 4 primary is all but certain to win the seat.
The endorsement for Guilford County School Board at-large went to incumbent Nancy Routh, and the District 2 endorsement went to incumbent Garth Hebert.
The association endorsed Bill Bencini in the Republican primary for Guilford County Commission District 2, but is remaining neutral in the District 3 race. Hayes said none of the three candidates in District 3 returned questionnaires.
The educators are endorsing Democratic incumbent Don Vaughan in the NC Senate District 27 race. Vaughan faces Republican Jeff Hyde in November.
In the Democratic primary for US Senate, the educators threw their clout behind Cal Cunningham, who is considered by many in the party as the most viable contender against Republican incumbent Richard Burr.
Gladys Robinson has received association's nod over Evelyn Robinson in the Democratic primary for NC Senate District 28. Association President Tijuana B. Hayes said Miller did not return her questionnaire. Robinson — who is the favored candidate of the seat's current occupant, Katie Dorsett — boasts on her campaign website of endorsements from the State Employees Association of North Carolina, NC Trial Lawyers and Lillian's List.
The Guilford County Association of Educators endorsement slate strongly favors Democratic incumbents or candidates who have previously held office.
Democrats Alma Adams and Earl Jones, who each have contested primaries for state House seats, received the educators' endorsement, as did Pricey Harrison and Maggie Jeffus. The Republican primary victor in NC House District 57 will face Harrison in November, while Jeffus will go toe to toe with Republican Theresa Yon.
"Maggie and Alma are our A+ legislators," Hayes said. "They voted with the educators on issues that we felt were important. They voted for the Healthy Youth Act, the reinstatement of sick leave, the state health plan blue ribbon task force.... One that we're particularly proud of is the School Violence Prevention Act. We appreciate the probationary teachers appeals [legislation]. It assures that our probationary teachers are provided reasons for nonrenewal in their fourth year. Now, they can appeal to the local school board if their contracts are not renewed."
The educators endorsed Georgia Nixon-Roney in the Republican primary for NC House District 61. With no Democrats in the race, the candidate who prevails in the May 4 primary is all but certain to win the seat.
The endorsement for Guilford County School Board at-large went to incumbent Nancy Routh, and the District 2 endorsement went to incumbent Garth Hebert.
The association endorsed Bill Bencini in the Republican primary for Guilford County Commission District 2, but is remaining neutral in the District 3 race. Hayes said none of the three candidates in District 3 returned questionnaires.
The educators are endorsing Democratic incumbent Don Vaughan in the NC Senate District 27 race. Vaughan faces Republican Jeff Hyde in November.
In the Democratic primary for US Senate, the educators threw their clout behind Cal Cunningham, who is considered by many in the party as the most viable contender against Republican incumbent Richard Burr.
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