Congressman Etheridge Announces School Construction Bill at Ligon Middle
January 12, 2009 - Congressman Bob Etheridge called for school construction funding to be included in the economic recovery package before congress in a news conference today at Ligon Middle School. Congressman Bob Etheridge stands in front of mobile classrooms at Ligon Middle School explaining school construction bill. |
Etheridge said he has introduced the America’s Better Classrooms Act to help local communities put people to work building schools. The act will provide a federal tax credit to pay the interest on local school bonds. Communities will be left to only pay the principal on the bond. The bill will leverage $25 billion for school construction. NC would receive $48 million, creating or sustaining 10,752 jobs in the state.
“Last week, I sent a letter to President-elect Obama asking that he include my school construction proposal in his economic recovery and jobs creation plan,” said Etheridge. “This is a win-win proposal for NC’s children, communities and workers.
With Congressman Etheridge at the news conference were Board Chair Rosa Gill, board member Anne McLaurin, Superintendent Del Burns, Ligon Principal Scott Lyons and Ben Matthews of the NC Department of Public Instruction.
“In NC, we have struggled for years to build schools fast enough to keep up with the increased growth in our state,” said Etheridge. “Now, with the recession causing budget shortages at the state and local level, we will face an even greater challenge in building new schools.”
Matthews said the impact of the America’s Better Classrooms Act could be to get things going quickly, stimulate our economy and help our schools. He said there are projects that are ready to begin in the next three to six months that could be helped and create an immediate economic benefit.
Wake County Board Chair Rosa Gill said passage of the act could move school construction projects along faster.
“We’re working to provide capacity for those students who are already here and those who are still coming,” said Gill. “These funds will help as we make sure we have a seat for all of our children.”
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