N&O Polls the Triangle: Nifong, Wake School Bond

Submitted by Todd on Wed, 10/25/2006 - 9:32am.

www.newsobserver.com/114/story/502352.html

The N&O has poll results today for a variety of local issues, including the Durham DA race (Nifong will win), the Wake County school bonds (the bonds will fail), and general feelings about the state legislature, Congress, and other local issues. Interesting stuff.

www.newsobserver.com/1185/story/502604.html

DURHAM - Mike Nifong has a double-digit lead heading into the November election for district attorney, according to a survey of likely Durham voters.

The poll, commissioned by The News & Observer and WRAL-TV, asked 600 likely voters in Durham County whom they would vote for in the district attorney's race. Of those polled, 46 percent said they would vote for Nifong. The incumbent's total far exceeded the 28 percent of respondents who said they would vote for county Commissioner Lewis Cheek. Two percent of those polled said they planned to vote for write-in candidate Steve Monks.

The poll, conducted between Oct. 16 and Oct. 19, found that 24 percent of those surveyed remained undecided, enough to change the outcome of the election, the most heated district attorney's race Durham has seen in years. The debate in a county that sees more than 50,000 new criminal cases every year has been almost entirely about charges leveled against three Duke University lacrosse players accused of raping an escort service dancer at a March party.

The poll, conducted by Research 2000 of Rockville, Md., has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

46-28 - this thing is over.

www.newsobserver.com/1363/story/502606.html

T. Keung Hui, Staff Writer
Two weeks before Election Day, a poll of likely Wake County voters suggests a request for $970 million in school construction bonds could be in trouble.
A poll last week of 600 likely voters found that 54 percent said they will vote against the bond issue, compared with 35 percent who said they will vote yes. Many no voters cited opposition to tax increases and a loss of confidence in the Wake school administration. Many also said that the school district is going in the wrong direction.

The poll, conducted for The News & Observer and WRAL-TV, surprised bond supporters, who said two recent surveys show the bonds would be approved.

"It's frustrating to me that people don't get it," said Ann Goodnight, co-chairwoman of Friends of Wake County, the nonprofit group formed to get the bonds passed. "It shouldn't be an emotional issue."

It should be interesting to see how Wake County will pay for their schools if this fails. What ever happened to the community taking responsibility for things that are for the good of the entire community? It seems there are a lot of selfish people living in Wake County these days.

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Yankee_Blue's picture

Its also on WRAL's site

Submitted by Yankee_Blue on Wed, 10/25/2006 - 9:47am.

i was actually reading all about that a few minutes ago, so good idea to post it Todd. I think the whole Wake County Bond issue shows the retardation of the situation we are in.

People know we need more schools, but thinking they can punish legisators by voting NO they are going to. Meanwhile the only people that will be hurt are the thousands of children who a) wont get new schools b) then wont get year-round schools (not that i like them but if it helps IT HELPS) and c) will be behind the curve even more in 5 years when we try this Bond again.

Here's the PDF of the whole poll. Research Poll

Our children need to know that some people fought back, when others collaborated.

Year-round schools

Submitted by Todd on Wed, 10/25/2006 - 10:56am.

seem like a good idea to me. My daughter attends one in Durham now. The 3 week breaks in the spring and fall are a great time to take vacation.

I can understand why parents would be frustrated with having their kids on 2 different schedules. The county should at least try to be flexible enough to get siblings on the same schedule. However, parents need to face reality: Wake County schools are adding about 2-3,000 students a year. Thay have to have classrooms and teachers. Maybe that means changing more schools to year-round to save costs.

When is comes to the bond isue, however, the Art Pope anti-tax mindset is alive and well in Wake County. Year round conversions will only go so far. As will the conservative's favorite - charter schools. Some time soon, Wake is going to have to kick-start their school construction program. The George Bush tooth fairy isn't going to drop a billion dollars of borrowed federal money into Wake County to pay for their schools. Wake County tax payers are going to take a hit -either through property or sales taxes - to pay for new schools.

Blue South's picture

solution

Submitted by Blue South on Wed, 10/25/2006 - 11:09am.

There is only one solution to this.

Build a Wall.

We need one in Texas, another around all of North Carolina and one around Wake County. THEN we will be able to afford more schools without raising taxes.

but who will pay for the wall???

HelpLarry.com

The Puppetmaster is at the bottom

Submitted by James Protzman on Wed, 10/25/2006 - 11:05am.

of the schools mess. I hear he's promised to personally pay for all the schools needed in Wake County since he's such a free-market fanatic. All is well. Wake County kids are in good bloody hands.

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