If the legislature won’t, Wake County commissioners must make schools a priority

Wake schools

The writer is chair of Public Schools First NC.

On Monday, Wake County commissioners vote on a 2022-23 budget. The Wake County Public School System requested $56 million more from commissioners, but the proposed budget falls short by $18 million.

As the state legislature continues to prioritize corporations and tax cuts over students and teachers, we must ask local officials to do more.

Time and again, corporations like Apple cite the strength of our public schools as a deciding factor in choosing this area. Wake County will continue to prosper only if we maintain strong schools and great county services such as libraries, environmental services and health services. Investing in teachers, stabilizing our school workforce, and helping students recover from the pandemic are critical to our shared prosperity. Contact Wake commissioners and urge them to fully fund the WCPSS request.

Yevonne Brannon, Raleigh

Commissioner pay

The writer is chair of Wake County Voter Education Coalition.

The budget Wake commissioners are set to vote on Monday includes a 132% pay increase for board members.

Before any pay increase there must be a more transparent plan presented to the public. This initiative needs more rigorous research and dialogue. Even if the range is dropped from the proposed $66,223 to $50,000 or below, this is a significant matter taxpayers need to be a part of.

Passing any pay increase at this time will send the wrong message, which could jeopardize any future bond referendums needing taxpayer support. There needs to be continued responsible stewardship of taxpayers money — no 132% increase in pay.

Jerome Brown, Raleigh

Dems pandering

So, Democrats in the N.C. Senate are desperate. Their proposed $200 gas tax refund for every driver over 18 is political pandering at best, at worst abject ignorance of what’s happening in the real world.

The $200 would buy less than three tanks of gas for those who truly need help right now. It would be even more meaningless for those who don’t.

All this at a price tag of $1.3 billion of taxpayer’s money. What an insult to the electorate’s intelligence!

Means testing would direct funds where they need to go, but doing that would not buy enough votes.

Better to toss money into the air than do the right thing and miss a vote. Ever wish you could take a vote back?

Donald Eason, Willow Spring

LGBTQ issues

When I saw the headline “NC Senate passes bill banning K-3 instruction on LGBT issues,” (June 2), my eyes first only noticed the word “ban.” I thought it might be about assault weapons. I couldn’t help but be disgusted when I read the rest of the headline — it was not about guns, our children, and the carnage happening in our public schools. It was about banning LGBTQ issues from being taught. The hypocrisy stunned me. How sad for us all.

Melanie Walker, Raleigh

LGBTQ flashcards

Regarding “LGBTQ themed flash cards removed from preschool classroom,” (May 29):

State Rep. Erin Pare deemed the LGBTQ-themed flashcards used in a Wake County Public School System preschool inappropriate because they contained a pregnant man. (Personally, I see two women on the card, one with long hair and one with short hair.)

The flashcards depict different family units, because in America, the family unit consisting of a white mom and a white dad is not the norm. Families consist of all types, including gay women.

There is nothing inappropriate about a same-sex couple. More than 20 million Americans identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Same-sex marriage is legal. Around 4 million children are being raised by an LGBTQ+ parent.

Representation is always appropriate; bigotry is never appropriate.

Kara Gensor, Fuquay-Varina

Yard waste bins

The City of Raleigh could have saved a great deal of money, time and energy by making the start of the yard waste program as opt-in instead of opt-out.

Now, the neighborhood where my condo is located is deluged with lime green yard waste containers.

We’re surrounded by poorly maintained rental property, with trash and discarded cars everywhere, not to mention trash and recycle cans that stay at the curb 24/7 along with discarded furniture and trash.

These absentee landlords couldn’t care less about the neighborhood. Do you actually think they’ll fill out an online form to opt-out?

Jeannie Inskeep, Raleigh

Raleigh pools

Regarding “When will Raleigh pools open? With fewer lifeguards, city faces uncertain swim season,” (May 24):

Given that Raleigh has a multi-million dollar investment in land and infrastructure in its public pool system, it is disingenuous not to raise hourly lifeguard pay to a point where enough qualified applicants apply. We are well into the swimming season, which for many area citizens is their least expensive and most favorite recreation. Or, I guess we could just tear out the pools and build another 30-story high-rise.

R. W. Mullins Jr., Raleigh

This story was originally published June 3, 2022 at 12:53 PM with the headline "If the legislature won’t, Wake County commissioners must make schools a priority."