The Word is Bond
l->y y\kila.h Imani Nelson and Kiron I’errell
t is nearly impossible to live
on a college campus, or any
where else in North Carolina
without being accosted by
someone who wants to register
you to vote or ask you to vote ,
for the “the bond.” Since stu/
dents returned to campus itf
August, there have been nias-
sive voter registration driv^
sponsored by many on-car^pus
organizations and strong
efforts to educate voters about
the $3.1 billion bond that will
face public referendum in a few
days. North Carolinians for
Educational Opportunity jpio
many state universities aild
community colleges in ur^ng
students and citizens to pass
the bond, which will provide
modernization funds for North
Carolina’s 59 community col
leges and the 16 universities
within the UNC system.
The University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill will
receive $510.5 million from the
bond, putting the University
one-third of the way to
Chancellor Moeser’s $15 billion
fundraising goal. Most of this
money will be used to renovate
existing class and office build
ings on campus. Almost half of
the money will be used to con
struct new buildings, including
a science complex and a stu
dent service^building that will
hold offices fbr advising, finan-
cialai# and ftousfng.
$i million will be allocated for %
land jiecfalMjon.
QlDponents $ the bond clair%
tt|at Caroling is getting more*
thki its fair ^hare of the money
while se^ail liM North
Carolina A&T and North
CareUaa Central are not recetv«
ing enough funds The mone
tary division ^as decided
based upon eacH school’s
expected enfollmfent and the
condition of its facilities. It is
highly possible that, as the/^
jewef In North C#-olina% crown
of higher public education, -
Chapel Hill is getting a little
extra attenticfn. i
However, each school in the
UNC system will receive a sub
stantial amount of funding that
will greatly assist in meeting
its needs. North Carolina’s 59
community colleges will split
$600 million; only a small frac
tion of that money will have to
be locally matched. The hope
is that the improvements and
augmentations funded by the
bond will prepare North
Carolina schools for the 30%
increase in enrollment that is
expected to take place over the
next ten years.
The controversy surrounding
"^e bond is over its effect on
ttie state economy, specifically
tables. Proponents for passage
of the bond stress that it will
not cause taxes to increase.
North Carolina has one of the
smallest deficits in the country.
The state’s economic outlook
f5r the next few decades is
solid. North Carolina will be
able to repay the bond over a
25-year period without having
to r^ise state taxes, using only
1°//of the budget. By pumping
jffbney into higher education,
proponents claim that North
Carolina will draw in more busi
nesses and corporations, fur
ther improving the state econo
my.
This is probably not the last
you will hear about the bond,
but after Nov. 7, the issue will
be out of your hands. Make an
impact while you can, and
remember, the word is bond!
Akllah Imani Nelson may be reached at babyblu27@hotmail.com
Kiron Terrell may be reached at kterrell@email.unc.edu
November 2000
4