The CFCC bond referendum vote passed with easy success

The Cape Fear Community College Bond Referendum was another issue voted on in the election Tuesday. The 164 million dollar bond will expand the college and add 3 new buildings, at a cost of 5 cents for every 100 dollars of assessed values for New Hanover County property owners.

Almost 88,000 people voted on the bond. 62% voted yes and 38% voted no. It was a large margin despite mixed emotions on the tax hike.

In 2005, when the economy was fine, Cape Fear Community College could not get a 27 million dollar bond passed to reduce over-crowding. Remarkably, this year when the economy is struggling, they were able to pass a 164 million dollar bond easily.

“The last time in 2005, we had a 9% voter turn out. When 9 % of the voters turn out 5% can defeat you, and this time we had 2/3rds of the registered voters turn out, that can make a tremendous difference,” said CFCC president Eric McKeithan.

Adam Ray is a local who voted for the bond. He fully supported the future benefits of the bond. “Being able to get a solid job in our economy is a price that people are willing to pay to have a better future.”

Last semester, 1,000 students were turned away from CFCC. The bond will pay for the constructions of 3 new buildings so the school can accommodate more students.

Not everyone thinks the bond should have passed however. “People are losing their jobs and I just can believe that people will vote to give a school 164 million dollars to take care of its needs when the city needs so much more,” said Anecia Smith.

The first building will be a general education building built on the corner of Front and Red Cross
streets, and should be completed by 2012. The other two buildings will be completed by 2016…

The building on North Front Street will be designed to look like a historic building. The next building will be for health care training and will be on 3rd and Walnut streets.

The 3rd building will be at the North Campus and will be designed to train what any new industry that is coming to the area.