Agenda - 09-25-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A~ae~~' ~-b NCSHA ?.OQ9-?A!0 Legislative Agenda Sc6o®Y'fec6nology - Finea and Fuxfeitures In AugusE, 2008, the North Carolina Courts ruffed that the State owed the public schools x'147 million far fines and forfeitures co[Xected from January 1, 1996 to June 30, 2005. Under North Camlina's Canstitntiatt, alt !`u;s1s and forfeitures are to go to the public schools, The ruling furthrr' stipulates that these funds are to be used solely for school teclmo[agy. ADD LAN(IUAGE ABQUT THE NEED FOR SCHOOL TI:~CHNOLOGY FOR NC'S SCHOOLS. SO FAR NCSHA HA3 hFOT BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN THIS 1]ATA FROM DpI. In order to comply with the ruling, new fiu~ds must be identified for school technology. School boards acmes North Carolina recognize that this is a substantial sum of money. NCSHA contirxues t4 be willing and ready to work out a payment schedule for these funds. NCSHA calls upon the General Assembly to work cooperatively to design and implement a payment schedule fox Were funds so that North Carolina's pttbiic school students are given the resources, far wl4uich they are entitled, and that they can tae educated to be globally conxpetitive in the GIs` century. Outer Fitredirtg Friorit~c Sales Tax Refund/Exemption Reinstating a sales tax refund or waving to a sales tax cxemptioa is one of NCSBA's top funding priorities. In 199$, the General Assembly granted local boards of education the authority to collect a sales tax refund, just as cities, counties, private schools and other entities were able to do, $eginrung with the 20fl6-0? fiscal year, school boards could only receive a refund for the local sales tax and were na longer entitled to a refund of the state sales lave. Thin resulted in a $33 million 5nancial hardship to North Carolina public school classrooms t>:roughoux the state. This amount has gra~wn to over $40 million. Additionally, this change lass forced many school boards to transfer ownership of school property during the constrttctian phase to the county comtnissianers in order to collect some of the refund. This creates a great deal of paperwork and needless legal expenses. School Constncction Notch Casolina's public schools face a need of over $9.7 billion for school construction Dues five years (DPI 12l18~2006}. Additionally, the average construction cost for schools increased in 20(Y! to $155.11 per square foot from $146.76 in 2006. NCSHA calls upon the State W assume more fin~cial responsibility and~provide tools tQ local govemmtnts to address this staggering need. First, and foremost, the State needs to ply on the ballot a statewide school bond referendum. that would provide a significant infusion of dollars for help atleviate the backlog of necds..Additionally the State should either pass a local. ~~.