YOUR VOICE YOUR VOTE: How the Brunswick Co. school bond affects you

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Brunswick County voters must decide whether to pass a $152 million school bond by November 8.

Brunswick County Schools spokeswoman Jessica Swencki said the bond will pay for improvements for all 19 schools in the county.

“It really is about growth,” Swencki said. “Leland Middle School is expected to hit 1,000 students in 2018.”

Swencki said they try to keep a limit for the school system at 750.

“So one of the biggest projects will be to build Town Creek Middle School which will help alleviate that pressure valve,” Swencki said.

Lincoln and Town Creek Elementary Schools would get 6 additional classrooms. North Brunswick and West Brunswick High Schools would get an additional 12 classrooms.

“Improvements to technology,” Swencki said. “We would be adding science labs to all of our middle schools. We would also improve our athletic fields.”

Swencki said if the bond does not pass, they are going to face other costs from overcrowding.

“If the bond would not pass, we would really be left with no other option than redistricting and redistricting would truly affect all students in the system,” Swencki said. “We would be moving students technically down Highway 17 to find spaces.”

As a parent, Jalessa Hewett wants to see the bond approved.

“For the schools, to keep the schools good,” Hewett said. “Yeah. The kids need it.”

Scotty Dirkers is more concerned as a taxpayer.

“In general, I don’t vote for bonds, because I believe that raises taxes,” Dirkers said.

Swencki said they might not have to raise taxes.

“The growth in Brunswick County has a positive impact on the county’s ability to maintain a low tax rate.” Swencki said. “Worst case scenario would be an $80.20 per year increase.”

Swencki said that increase also includes the debt from the last school bond.

The last time voters approved a school bond was in 1999. Swencki said the payoff of the remaining $34,592,052 from the 1999 school bond will happen in 2023. She said after that, the increase would go down.

Swencki said the combined tax bill for the existing debt from 1999 with the new debt from the 2016 on a $200,000 home is estimated to increase by $1,54 each week, $6,68 each month, or $80.20 per year.

Click here to see the whole bond plan from Brunswick County Schools.