Gaston County $250 million school bond passes

GASTONIA, NC — Gaston County's $250 million school bond passed Tuesday evening.

The bond passed by nearly 70 percent to 30 percent.

The parents who voted for the issue say they believe it is essential to provide a good education for kids.

The bond package would fund $115 million in renovations and repairs at schools in six different townships.

It would pay for $110 million in new school construction including a new elementary school in southeast Gastonia, a new middle school in Belmont, and a new middle school to accommodate growth.

Parents said the improvements would help enhance learning.

"They should be proud when they walk into their schools. They should not have to learn in fear because schools are not safe. They should not have to worry about leaking and mold and other issues that can be caused by aging schools and aging buildings,” said Donyel Barber.

It’s the largest bond package of its kind in county history.  County leaders propose a quarter-cent sales tax to pay for it.

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Statement about school bonds from Gaston County Schools Superintendent W. Jeffrey Booker:

"We are extremely pleased and grateful to our community for supporting the school bonds.  All of the ‘yes’ votes are an investment in education, an investment in our children, and an investment in our future.

"With the bonds being approved by a significant margin, it is clear that voters care about the schools in Gaston County, and they want the best schools for our children.

"Just this year, we have seen the benefits of school bonds with the opening of the new Pleasant Ridge Elementary and Stanley Middle School.  With the bonds tonight, we will continue moving forward to have more new schools and upgrade the existing ones to ensure that our students have a safe and nurturing school environment.

"So many people put energy into spreading the word about the importance of the bonds, and they worked extremely hard over the past several months to get out the vote.  With the positive vote for the school bonds, it is a time for our community to celebrate. To everyone who voted for the bonds, we would like to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you.’

Statement about school bonds from Gaston County Board of Education Chairman Kevin L. Collier:

"We would like to thank everyone who voted in favor of the school bonds.  The bonds will provide funds for new schools, critical renovations and repairs, and school additions.  Our next step is for the Board of Education to work with the County Commissioners to issue the bonds and begin work on the school projects.

"In addition to everyone who voted for the bonds, we would like to thank the “Our Children, Our Future” bond referendum committee, parents, business leaders, and many other people in our community who joined together to promote the school bonds.  It has been a community-wide effort, and it is so reassuring with this vote to see so much support for our schools.

"We also are pleased to see that voters have approved the quarter-cent sales tax.  The sales tax is expected to generate an extra $6 million a year, which the county has pledged to help pay for the school bonds."

Cox Media Group