McCrory's plan to fix infrastructure, schools worth backing
Published June 6, 2015
Editorial by Asheville Citizen-Times, May 29, 2015.
In an ideal world, there would be no need for Gov. Pat McCrory’s proposal to put before voters two bond measures totaling $3 billion to fix the state’s roads and infrastructure, including University of North Carolina facilities.
In an ideal world, North Carolina wouldn’t have gone down a tax cut/spending cut path that has largely removed the possibility of paying for these repairs via the normal budgeting process.
But we live in the real world, and in that world we’ve ignored crumbling roads and bridges, outdated facilities at our universities and the simple fact that a prosperous future can’t come without proper investments today.
Two weeks ago in Cullowhee, McCrory stressed the urgency of getting the bonds on the November ballot. Failure to get the bonds passed this year, the governor said, will increase future costs of repair and renovations.
“Interest rates are not going to be lower in our lifetime… The cost of construction is going higher and higher and higher,” McCrory said.
Legislative support for placing the measure on November’s ballot seems lukewarm at best. And support from voters, particularly the large bloc that haven’t seen their fortunes improve during the economic recovery, may be lukewarm as well.
Nonetheless, while support for the measure could be lacking, the need for it isn’t. McCrory’s remarks at Western Carolina University were delivered in a laboratory in WCU’s outmoded Natural Sciences Building. That structure was built in the 1970s, when WCU had 15 nursing majors and no engineering majors. The WCU of 2015 has about 2,300 students in health and human sciences programs, nearly 600 in technology and engineering programs, and about 500 in biological and physical science programs.
The governor’s proposal includes $114.9 million for a new science facility.
“There is a skills gap in our country and in North Carolina, and as I’m recruiting industry to come to North Carolina, including to Western North Carolina, the first question I’m asked is ‘Do you have the talent necessary to fill the jobs at all levels?’ If you can’t answer yes to that question, they will go to another state or to another country,” McCrory said.
“If we don’t get the scientists, if we don’t get the engineers, if we don’t get the mechanics and if we don’t get the electricians, then we’re not going to keep the industry that we have in North Carolina, let alone attract industry to North Carolina.’’
The “Connect NC’’ builds for the future. The transportation bond covers around 20 road projects across the state. The infrastructure bond addresses facility needs in 64 of the state’s 100 counties, and; about $500 million would go to 10 UNC system campuses, including WCU, and also calls for $70 million to upgrade facilities at 28 state parks.
This growing state has needs. We can address them or continue to dither. It may not be ideal, but McCrory’s proposal looks like the best alternative.
Frankly, it may be the only alternative.
If there’s a “Plan B’’ out there, it’s awfully well camouflaged.
June 6, 2015 at 11:01 am
Richard L Bunce says:
Stop using science and engineering to cover for State education spending that promotes nonsensical social science "study" majors...
