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Information about the 2007 Land Bonds in the Nov. 6, 2007 Election
On September 5, 2007 the Board of County Commissioners called for a referendum for November 6, 2007 with respect to the proposed issuance of $516,000,000 school bonds, $30,000,000 community college bonds, and $35,640,000 land bonds.
The land bonds total $35,640,000, and include:
- $1,650,000 for library land
- $31,590,000 for watershed protection and nature preserve acquisitions
- $2,400,000 for greenway land
What will appear on the ballot?
The language on the ballot will read:
SHALL the order authorizing $35,640,000 of bonds secured by a pledge of the faith and credit of the County of Mecklenburg to pay capital costs of providing land for present or future county corporate, open space, watershed protection, community college, and public school purposes, and the acquisition and improvements thereon and interest in such real property, and a tax be levied for the payment thereof, be approved?
Squares labeled “YES” and “NO” will appear beneath or beside those words. Voters will be asked to record their choice in one of the squares.
It should be noted that an addendum to the ballot stipulates that because the proposed $516,000,000 of bonds for school facilities includes $30,000,000 for land for public school facilities, the Board of County Commissioners does not anticipate that any of the land bond money would be used for the acquisition of public school sites, but, should the land bond referendum pass, the land bond proceeds would be used to purchase park land and land for a library, and would not be used to purchase land for public school facilities. This information will not appear on the ballot.
If the land bond referendum passes, how will the money be spent?
Bonds for library land will be used to purchase land in Southwest Mecklenburg County, perhaps in the Berewick community, as a possible location for a large, new regional library. Southwest Mecklenburg County is one of the fastest growing areas of the county and the current Steele Creek library is one of PLCMC’s most heavily-used facilities.
Bonds for watershed protection and nature preserves will allow Mecklenburg County to buy land to protect water quality in Mountain Island Lake, the main source of municipal water supply in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
Bonds for greenway land will help the Park and Recreation Department buy property for greenways, including Little Sugar Creek Greenway.
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