EDUCATIONAL BOND REFERENDUM FAQ

Q: What did the referendum say?

Q: Okay, that’s what it said. But what does all that mean?

Q: Why does Forsyth Tech need the Career Center building? Why can't they put up a new building on their campus?

Q: Does Forsyth Tech really need that much more classroom space?

Q: Why will it cost $21 million to renovate the Career Center? Isn’t it being used now as it is?

Q: I’ve heard that these bonds will cause my taxes to go up? Is that true?

Q: Didn’t Forsyth Tech just get a big bond referendum a couple of years ago? And didn’t they just open a new building?

Q: What did the referendum say?
A: The referendum was the last item on the November 4, 2008 ballot. It read:

REFERENDUM: EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES BONDS
Shall the order adopted on September 8, 2008, authorizing not exceeding $62,150,000 EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES BONDS of the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, for the purpose of providing funds, together with any other available funds, for the acquisition by Forsyth Technical Community College of existing facilities from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and the improvement, renovation, equipping and furnishing of facilities to be used for community college purposes, and for the acquisition, construction, expansion, renovation, equipping and furnishing of replacement facilities by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools to be used for public school educational and administrative purposes, and authorizing the levy of taxes in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and the interest on said bonds, be approved?

YES

NO

Q: Okay, that's what it said. But what does all that mean? return to top
A: The referendum passed by a count of 90,930 to 55,252. That means Forsyth Technical Community College and the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WSFCS) will be given $62,150,000 to upgrade their facilities. The money will primarily be spent on two things:

• Forsyth Tech will be given the building adjacent to their Main Campus on Miller Street that currently houses the WSFCS administrative offices and the Career Center. Forsyth Tech will spend $21,000,000 of the money generated by the referendum to renovate the building for use as classrooms and labs for Forsyth Tech students.

• The WSFCS will use $38,000,000 of the money generated by the referendum to build a new Career Center with state-of-the-art equipment and classrooms as well as new administrative offices.

Q: Why does Forsyth Tech need the Career Center building? Why can’t they put up a new building on their campus? return to top
A: Forsyth Tech's Main Campus is landlocked. There is no available space to the right, left or behind the campus to build new facilities. Acquiring the Career Center will give Forsyth Tech an additional 300,000 square feet of classroom space, which should meet the needs of the school for the next decade.

Q: Does Forsyth Tech really need that much more classroom space? return to top
A: Yes. Forsyth Tech enrollment has increased 51% in the last 10 years and is expected to grow another 51% by 2015-16. There are several reasons for this increase:

• Gov. Easley and the state of North Carolina have put tremendous emphasis on the need for post-high school education to compete in the new global economy. In Forsyth County, Forsyth Tech is where many people seek that education.

• Increasing college costs have made Forsyth Tech a way for local students seeking a Bachelor's degree to attend their first two years of college without incurring large debt.

• In times of economic stress, as we're now facing, Forsyth Tech is where many people turn to learn new skills when companies close or jobs go elsewhere.
  
  
• A huge percentage of health care workers in our area are trained at Forsyth Tech, and currently the school's health care programs are operating at capacity and have waiting lists for students. More classroom space will allow more students to be admitted.

Because of all these factors, more and more classroom space is needed to accommodate the students now attending Forsyth Tech and those who will be attending in the years to come.

Q: Why will it cost $21 million to renovate the Career Center? Isn't it being used now as it is? return to top
A: While the building is structurally sound and continues to serve the WSFCS system well both as classroom space and an administrative office area, it is 33 yearsold and simply needs the normal renovation any building of that age would require.Also, as part of the renovation process, Forsyth Tech will upgrade the building technologically and install equipment needed for programs that require specialized training.

Q: I’ve heard that these bonds will cause my taxes to go up? Is that true? return to top
A: Yes, to pay for the bonds a property tax increase of 1.25¢ will be added to the current property tax rate of 69.6¢ per $100 of assessed property value. In other words, if you own a house worth $150,000, your property tax bill will increase about $19 per year from $1,044 to $1,062.75.

Q: Didn’t Forsyth Tech just get a big bond referendum a couple of years ago? And didn't they just open a new building? return to top
A: Yes, in 2006 a bond referendum was passed that gave Forsyth Tech money for several projects that are currently underway:

• $16 million for the construction or purchase and renovation of a 100,000-square-foot building for Forsyth Tech’s growing automotive-technology programs. This facility, located at Pinebrook Shopping Center at the corner of Patterson Avenue and Germanton Road, is scheduled to open in 2009.

• $5 million for burn pits, a burn building and a fire tower for local firefighter training at Forsyth Tech's new Northwest Center in King. The Northwest Center, funded by a 2001 bond referendum, opened this year and will provide state-of-the-art training facilities for local police, EMT and firefighters, as well as offering the citizens of northwest Forsyth and Stokes County a wide variety of educational and career training opportunities.
  
  
• $4 million to expand two of the college's other centers that are facing a lack of space: The Swisher Center in Kernersville and the Woodruff Center in eastern Winston-Salem.

While these new and upgraded facilities will help alleviate the overcrowding on Main Campus slightly by shifting some programs off campus, they do not offer a long-term solution to the need for more classroom space on the Main Campus.