I smell another tax increase coming

The story below is from WMPM's news page. How the heck do you go OVER budget by $7.2 million dollars? Cost overruns are not rare, but $7.2 million? Did not the contractors agree to build or renovate for $X dollars? Then why do we get stuck with the difference? $7.2 million????? That sounds a bit excessive to me. Either we have some mighty poor planning or we are getting screwed by contractors in some fashion.

An upcoming bond referrendum? Read into that another tax increase. Out of principle, I usually vote NO on referrenda such as that.



School Construction Projects $7.2M Over Cost - Construction and renovation projects at six Johnston County schools came in $7.27 million over estimates. To pay for the cost overruns, the Johnston County School Board voted this week to shift $4.2 million from future Clayton school construction, technology and paving projects to pay for the overruns. Another $3.1 million expected from the state will also be used. Construction at the new Dixon and West View Elementary and the new North West Middle School were among projects that came in over what had been budgeted during a 2005 bond. Part of the money being diverted was $1.5 million of $2.2 million set aside for a new classroom wing at East Clayton Elementary. The remaining $700,000 will be used for land acquisition for a new elementary school that will hopefully be funded in the next bond referendum that could go before voters as early as next year.