The Republican power grab to wrest control of the Wake County Public School System from the Democrat controlled school board and give it to the Republican controlled county commissioners has failed. So now what? Will the likelihood of an additional $810 million from the passage of a school bond increase this Fall? If anything, the likelihood will decrease. Firing the school system’s superintendent at a taxpayer cost of $250 thousand still weighs heavily on our minds.
The people will vote on the Fall ballot but I doubt the bond will pass in these times with either group in control. One think is sure: the Republican led state government should have no power to dictate who controls our schools at the local level. It is a shame that their efforts were not directed at removing control of our schools from the federal government. But then Skippy does not believe in nullification or the rights of the individual person in our state.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Let’s chalk this small victory up to the people and the Fall ballot.
David DeGerolamo
House nixes Wake schools handover
After an acrimonious debate that highlighted rifts within the Republican caucus, House lawmakers voted Wednesday not to approve an attempt to hand over Wake County’s schools to the county’s commissioners.
Despite the urging of Wake County Republicans and chamber leaders, at least 21 Republicans broke ranks to vote with House Democrats against the bill. It failed 64-52.
The proposal would have made Wake the only county in North Carolina in which the school board did not control school construction and maintenance. That power would have been given to the Wake County Board of Commissioners, which is majority Republican.
Republican backers of the bill said their aim was to bolster voter confidence in an $810 million school bond issue on the ballot this fall.
“There has to be confidence that the money will be spent wisely,” said Rep. Skip Stam, R-Wake.
