Wake County Commissioners could not be more excited to spend other people's money. Some of them actually make the claim "more money is needed!" Yikes!
Wake County Schools plans to spend more money, although the system seems have a business model which has recently been rejected by Wake families; the hemorrhaging can be seen here.
It seems like just yesterday the county hired Manager David Ellis, but back then, the budget was a much smaller number to crunch. Nevertheless, county government positions and spending continues to increase, meanwhile the student population in Wake County Public School System decreases. It is quite odd how the "community needs more services" according to politicians dominating the annual budget conversation, yet families have openly rejected one very large service the county is supposed to provide: K-12 public education.
The Wake County Public School System -lacking taxing authority- must rely on county Commissioners and support staff to acquire funding requests. Superintendent Cathy Q. Moore presented slides which included new spending desires.
Even though WCPSS lost customers, it seems Moore wants to be held harmless for those losses and maintain spending patterns.
Terry Stoops, with the John Locke Foundation, alerts readers of many brow-raising activities likely to go on inside, as well as those occurring outside public schools across North Carolina. Why do we not hear parents opposed to a radicalized education experience throwing the Code Of Ethics For NC Educators around every school and county board meeting? It's as though no one cares. On with the spending! Wake County Board of Commissioners seems to be all too eager to continue the spending frenzy. The 406 page Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Proposal and all of its glory can be viewed here. In the May 24, 2021 9 am budget meeting the Wake County Commissioners discussed the following issues: The library page program, which pays $7.25/hr, came up in conversation revolving around "living wages," but Commissioner Vickie Adamson asserted these employees were typically high school students and this was similar to that of an intern program which reaped the reward of a wage, whereas other page programs are unpaid positions. Chair Calabria inquired with staff about a minimum of 8.25/hr. "Commitment and merit is something to incentivize," says Commissioner Cervania. If Commissioners proposed an increase to the new hourly wage, Chair Calabria wants staff to follow up with the fiscal impacts. Commissioner Adamson said, "there seems to be some consensus to meet the school board's budget(request)," for additional spending and Manager Ellis added the county could accommodate, if Commissioners request it. Cervania asked why there was a $5M difference between the County proposed allocation for WCPSS versus the ask from WCPSS. Manager Ellis said, after looking at other County needs and partnerships, "this is what we felt we could do. " Chair Calabria said they don't cut items from the school line items, but rather they say "here's what we can give you." Commissioner Hutchinson said, "this (budget process) has been about as painless as I've experienced throughout my ten years a as commissioner." Commissioner Adamson expressed concerns about Emergency Medical Technicians and a high rate of attrition nationally. In preparation for a final budget vote on June 7, 2021, Chair Calabria asked staff to share fiscal impacts of meeting the funding request of the school system.