Educating Wake County Commissioners | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This post, by Bob Luebke, was originally published in Civitas's online edition.

    Democrats on the Wake County Board of Commissioners have increased support for WCPSS by $90 million since 2015. Since taking the majority on the Wake County Board of Commissioners,Democrats have presided over a 30 percent increase in local support. .

    So imagine the consternation of Commissioners when members of Wake County School Board strongly opposed and criticized the decision by Wake County Commissioners to only boost county education funding by $21 million this year - about half of what the school system wanted. In 2015 Commissioners gave WCPSS a record $44.6 million increase in local funding. The tension has soured relations between the two groups.

    Commissioners didn't like that WCPSS had a $21 million fund balance, were asking for yet more money and couldn't adequately explain how money was being spent.

    Asking how taxpayer money is spent is a legitimate question. Thinking county commisioners ought to comply with every budget request from the local school district reflects a detestable arrogance and poor understanding of the budget process.

    Is this what we want from our local school board?