What Is Sam Searcy Talking About? | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's note: The author of this post is Terry Stoops for the John Locke Foundation.

    In his latest fundraising solicitation, NC Sen. Sam Searcy (D-Wake) writes,

• Republicans have created an unfair and unequal system for financing public education, forcing counties to raise property taxes to pay for schools. As a result, education funding varies significantly between rural and suburban counties.

    What?

    First, the Republicans did not "create" our system for financing public education. It is mostly the product of tinkering by Democratic lawmakers and state education leaders.

    Second, the state has compelled counties to cover capital expenses for schools long before the election of a Republican majority in the legislature. On the other hand, much of the operating funds come from the General Assembly. The state pays for around two-thirds of the cost of public education. That is a significantly higher share than other states, which rely much more on property taxes than North Carolina does.

    Third, our school finance system, while flawed, distributes additional education dollars to counties that have a weak property and sales tax base. Thus, education funding varies significantly between rural and suburban counties, usually in favor of rural counties.