North Carolina Connect NC Public Improvement Bond (March 2016)
| North Carolina Improvement Bond | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date March 15, 2016 | |
| Topic Bond issues | |
| Status | |
| Type Bond issue | Origin State Legislature |
| 2016 measures |
|---|
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| March 15 |
| Public Improvement Bond |
| Polls |
| Voter guides |
| Campaign finance |
| Signature costs |
The North Carolina Connect NC Public Improvement Bond was on the March 15, 2016, ballot in North Carolina as a legislatively referred bond question. It was approved.
| A vote "for" the measure was a vote in favor of issuing $2 billion in bonds for economic development and infrastructure projects in 76 counties. |
| A vote "against" the measure was a vote in opposition to issuing the bonds. |
Most of the funding from the $2 billion bond issue was earmarked for the following targeted projects:[1][2]
| “ |
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” |
The text of the measure was not designed to limit taxes. State officials, however, predicted that the bond issue would not require the imposition of additional taxes. Supporters argued that the state's strong credit rating and the rapid repayment of previous debt would make a tax increase unnecessary to pay off the proposed $2 billion in new debt. Opponents, however, argued that the new debt would divert funds from the state's budget and would ultimately result in increased taxes. Critics pointed out that, despite promises from proponents of a bond issue in 2000 that taxes would not go up, tax rates were increased the very next year in 2001.[4]
Election results
| North Carolina Public Improvement Bond | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| 1,420,072 | 65.58% | |||
| No | 745,295 | 34.42% | ||
- Election results via: North Carolina State Board of Elections
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was:[5]
| “ | [ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST The issuance of two billion dollars ($2,000,000,000) State of North Carolina Public Improvement Bonds constituting general obligation bonds of the State secured by a pledge of the faith and credit and taxing power of the State for the purpose of providing funds, with any other available funds, to fund capital improvements and new facilities for the State, including, without limitation, the construction and furnishing of new facilities and the renovation and rehabilitation of existing facilities for, without limitation, the University of North Carolina System, the North Carolina Community College System, water and sewer systems, the State's National Guard, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, attractions and parks, and the Department of Public Safety. [3] |
” |
Full text
The full text of the measure can be read here.
Support
Supporters
The Vote Yes to Invest campaign was created to promote the Connect NC bond proposal.[6]
The bond measure was sponsored in the legislature by Rep. Dean Arp (R-69).[7]
The following individuals and organizations issued statements in support of the bond or publicly endorsed a "yes" vote on the measure.
- Gov. Pat McCrory (R)[8]
- Former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr[8]
- Alamance Community College Board of Trustees[9]
- North Carolina Central University Chancellor Debra Saunders-White[10]
- University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol Folt[10]
The following organizations and schools were listed as supporters of the bond proposal by the Vote Yes to Invest website:[6]
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Arguments in favor
The Connect NC website featured the following statement about the bond measure:
| “ |
The Connect NC bond will allow us to pay for 50-year assets with 20-year financing. No tax increases are necessary to finance the bond, given our strong revenue growth and ample debt service capacity. We will continue to balance the budget and uphold our position as one of only 10 states to have earned the coveted Triple A bond rating from all three major ratings agencies.[3] |
” |
| —Connect NC[4] | ||
Randy Woodson, chancellor of North Carolina State University, said the following:[11]
| “ | It's been 15 yeas [sic] since North Carolina approved a bond to invest in the state's infrastructure, and we've added more than 2 million residents to this great state since that time ... If passed, the Connect NC bond will help keep our state strong now and well into the future – in fact, decades into the future.[3] | ” |
Zito Sartarelli, chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, said the following:[2]
| “ | This is an amazing opportunity for the University of North Carolina Wilmington to address the growing need for highly trained health and human services professionals and increased access to healthcare to under-served communities in North Carolina, especially in rural areas.[3] | ” |
Jeff Lowrance, spokesman for Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC)—which was set to receive an estimated $9.6 million upon the approval of the bond measure—said the following:[10]
| “ |
Central Piedmont would certainly put the bond proceeds to good use. At the same time, we’re excited about the prospects of UNC Charlotte, because new facilities there will ultimately benefit many of our students, because many of them transfer to UNC Charlotte.[3] |
” |
Gary J. Salamido, North Carolina Chamber of Commerce vice president of government affairs, wrote the following:[12]
| “ |
The NC Chamber appreciates the dedication many of our state’s elected leaders, including Gov. McCrory, have shown in recent months to push for the passage of this important ballot initiative. We also thank job creators like Venessa Harrison and Ann Goodnight, for their valuable testimony in support of the Connect NC bond. The Chamber echoes that support, and we encourage our members to spread the word – when you go to the polls on March 15, vote yes to invest in North Carolina’s future![3] |
” |
Debt service chart
Media
These videos were featured on the Connect NC Committee YouTube channel:
Opposition
Opponents
The group leading opposition against the initiative was NC Against the Bond.[13][14]
The Libertarian Party of North Carolina passed an official resolution opposing this bond measure.[15]
Arguments against
Nicole Revels, treasurer of NC Against the Bond, said the following:[13]
| “ | It basically amounts to an omnibus spending bill ... These projects should be evaluated on their own merits. I don't think the voting public has enough information to do that.[3] | ” |
Representative Larry Pittman (R-82) said the following:[16]
| “ | I opposed the bond from the beginning. Removing the transportation items that were the reason for calling it "Connect NC" only made it worse. I oppose all bonds. We have enough debt and certainly don't need to add more for no reasonable purpose. So I voted no in the House, and I urge all of our citizens to vote no when your turn comes."[3] | ” |
| NC Against the Bond, "Debate: 'Connect NC' vs. NC Against the Bond," Feb. 29, 2016 |
Representative Michael Speciale (R-3), calling the proposed bond issue a waste of taxpayer money, said the following:
| “ |
Wow! We have a GOP controlled state government! What happened to the ‘conservative’ majority? What happened to ‘fiscal responsibility?' What happened to ‘smaller government?' If my memory serves me right, in the year 2000 we, here in North Carolina, passed what was the largest bond referendum in North Carolina history up to that time, a $3.1 billion Higher Education Bond Referendum. This was money that went primarily to the UNC system for new construction and renovations and repairs. [...] Here we are, again, fifteen years later with two billion more in bonds, with about $850 million going to 'renovations and repairs' within the UNC system. [...] I am lead to believe that there is an approximately 26% fill rate at the UNC system. That means that about 74% of the student seats are empty at any given time. The reasons for this may vary, such as the fact that many classes may be had online, removing the necessity for a class seat. How can anyone justify building new buildings with new seats when we do not fill the current available seats?[3] |
” |
| —Rep. Michael Speciale (R-3)[17] | ||
The Libertarian Party of North Carolina gave the following argument in a resolution of opposition to the bond measure:[15]
| “ |
A bond is not free money. It's a loan taken out with hefty interest that is left to the next generation to pay without their consent. If an item is important enough then the state should budget for it, holding our elected officials accountable for the spending of North Carolina tax dollars.[3] |
” |
With regard to the claim by supporters that approval of the bond issue would not result in a tax increase, opponents argued that the new debt would, in fact, lead to higher taxes. The NC Against the Bond website featured the following argument:
| “ |
The truth is, the “no new taxes” claim from “Connect NC” amounts to an empty campaign promise. There is no provision anywhere that binds bond proponents to these fantastic claims that they are making today, and in fact history demonstrates that this very promise is quickly broken upon bond passage.[3] |
” |
| —NC Against the Bond[14] | ||
Opponents pointed to a tax increase in 2001 that was instituted the year after proponents of a bond issue in 2000 insisted that no tax increase would result from the new debt.
Media
These videos were featured on the Against the Bond NC YouTube channel.
Media editorials
Support
- The Charlotte Observer editorial board published an article supporting the Connect NC bond issue. An excerpt is below:[18]
| “ |
Voters in North Carolina’s primary will decide whether the state should borrow $2 billion. They should jump at the chance. [...] Voters shouldn’t let this investment be killed by low voter turnout. Get out and support affordable, targeted investments in the state’s future.[3] |
” |
- The News & Observer editorial board wrote the following:[19]
| “ |
Connect NC is not a perfect bond issue. Its focus is scattered, and its repayment could cut budgets that are already tight. But this proposal for $2 billion in spending on projects that will provide lasting benefits is the best that can be expected from this legislature. Say yes to Connect NC.[3] |
” |
- The Winston-Salem Journal editorial board endorsed a "yes" vote on the bond measure.[20]
- The Fayetteville Observer editorial board expressed doubt that the bond issue could be serviced without some sort of tax increase, but endorsed a "yes" vote anyway.[21]
- The Star News editorial board wrote the following:[22]
| “ |
While we no longer endorse candidates, we have continued to offer our opinion on some ballot questions. [...] The StarNews editorial board stands in full support of the bond proposal.[3] |
” |
- The Citizen-Times editorial board focused on the park funding proposed by the bond measure as well as the funding for higher education and urged voters to approve the measure.[23]
- The Daily Reflector editorial board noted that the final bond proposal was not designed to fund any k-12 education or road maintenance, purposes that were both included in the original proposal. It also pointed out that holding the election in March instead of November could lead to fewer voters giving their opinion on the measure. Despite these reservations, the editorial board concluded the following:[24]
| “ |
With few qualifications, the Connect NC bond should be strongly supported by the people of eastern North Carolina for the good it will bring at a critical time in the region’s development.[3] |
” |
Opposition
If you know of any editorial board endorsements that should be posted here, please email the Ballot Measures project director.
Other editorials
- The Herald Sun editorial board published an article called "Boosting the bonds," which was put behind the newspaper's paywall and, therefore, was not categorized by Ballotpedia as a supporting or opposing editorial.
Campaign finance
Connect NC Committee registered to support the measure. The committee raised $2.15 million.[25]
NC Against the Bond registered to oppose the measure. The committee raised $2,089.[26]
| Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | $2,155,576.72 | $0.00 | $2,155,576.72 | $2,076,493.93 | $2,076,493.93 |
| Oppose | $2,539.17 | $270.00 | $2,809.17 | $2,526.80 | $2,796.80 |
| Total | $2,158,115.89 | $270.00 | $2,158,385.89 | $2,079,020.73 | $2,079,290.73 |
Support
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee(s) supporting the measure.[27]
| Committees in support of Connect NC Public Improvement Bond | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
| Connect NC Committee | $2,155,576.72 | $0.00 | $2,155,576.72 | $2,076,493.93 | $2,076,493.93 |
| Total | $2,155,576.72 | $0.00 | $2,155,576.72 | $2,076,493.93 | $2,076,493.93 |
Donors
The following were the top donors to the support committee(s).[27]
| Donor | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University | $160,000.00 | $0.00 | $160,000.00 |
| James H. Goodnight | $150,000.00 | $0.00 | $150,000.00 |
| Western Carolina Foundation | $110,000.00 | $0.00 | $110,000.00 |
| University of North Carolina Greensboro | $105,000.00 | $0.00 | $105,000.00 |
| North Carolina Association of Realtors | $100,000.00 | $0.00 | $100,000.00 |
Opposition
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee(s) in opposition to the initiative.[28]
| Committees in opposition to Connect NC Public Improvement Bond | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
| NC Against the Bond | $2,539.17 | $270.00 | $2,809.17 | $2,526.80 | $2,796.80 |
| Total | $2,539.17 | $270.00 | $2,809.17 | $2,526.80 | $2,796.80 |
Donors
The top donors to the opposition committee(s) were as follows:[28]
| Donor | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Education Association | $4,700,000.00 | $0.00 | $4,700,000.00 |
| American Federation of Teachers | $250,000.00 | $0.00 | $250,000.00 |
| Georgia Association of Educators | $133,500.00 | $0.00 | $133,500.00 |
| Better Georgia | $0.00 | $57,680.16 | $57,680.16 |
Methodology
To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.
Background
| Voting on Bond Issues | |||||
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In 2000, North Carolina voters approved a $3.1 billion bond issue to fund higher education, which was the largest bond issue for higher education passed by any state up to that time.[10]
According to The Raleigh News & Observer, "half of the Connect NC bonds would be spent on building projects across the University of North Carolina system. The rest would go to community colleges, water and sewer projects, state parks and facilities for agriculture, public safety and the National Guard."[10]
The bond measure was designed to provide $30 million to North Carolina Central University for building a new business school, $74 million to North Carolina State University to go toward a new engineering building, $85 million for a new plant sciences facility at North Carolina State University and $68 million to the University of North Carolina-Chapell Hill for a new medical school building.[10]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Legislatively referred state statute
The North Carolina Senate and North Carolina House of Representatives passed HB 943 on September 24, 2015, and September 30, 2015, respectively. In the Senate, 41 senators voted "yea" and two voted "nay." In the House, 93 representatives voted "yea" and 20 voted "nay."[7]
Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed legislation for the bond issue on October 21, 2015.[29]
State profile
| Demographic data for North Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 10,035,186 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 48,618 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 69.5% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 21.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2.5% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.4% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 8.8% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 85.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 28.4% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $46,868 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 20.5% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in North Carolina. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
North Carolina voted Republican in six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, six are located in North Carolina, accounting for 2.91 percent of the total pivot counties.[30]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. North Carolina had six Retained Pivot Counties, 3.31 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More North Carolina coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in North Carolina
- United States congressional delegations from North Carolina
- Public policy in North Carolina
- Endorsers in North Carolina
- North Carolina fact checks
- More...
Related measures
See also
External links
Support
- Connect NC website
- Vote Yes to Invest website, Facebook page, Youtube channel, Twitter account and Instagram account
Opposition
Footnotes
- ↑ Charlotte Chamber, "October 5, 2015 Legislative Update," October 5, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 PortlandCityDaily.com, "$66M UNCW health care building included in statewide ‘Connect’ bond headed to voters," January 31, 2016
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Connect NC, "Home," accessed March 8, 2016
- ↑ NC State Board of Elections, "Official Election Notice," accessed January 5, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Vote Yes to Invest, "Home," accessed March 8, 2016 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "VYTI" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 7.0 7.1 General Assembly of North Carolina, "House Bill 943," accessed January 5, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 WCTI 12, "North Carolina $2 billion bond question approaching quickly," January 1, 2016
- ↑ The Times-News, "Community College trustees vote to support Connect NC bond measure," January 16, 2016
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Raleigh News & Observer, "Chancellors say bonds would help NC campuses with urgent needs," accessed March 3, 2016 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Observer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ WRAL, "Political, academic leaders give bond push a kick-start," January 5, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, "Vote Yes to Invest in a Strong Future for North Carolina > Vote Yes on Connect NC," February 26, 2016
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 WRAL, "Bond opposition getting organized," January 18, 2016
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 NC Against the Bond, "Home," accessed February 17, 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Libertarian Party of North Carolina, "Libertarians Oppose the Bond," February 22, 2016
- ↑ Against the Bond, "Residential feedback," accessed March 9, 2016
- ↑ Beaufort Observer, "Rep. Michael Speciale commentary on the upcoming $2 billion bond issue," January 18, 2016
- ↑ Charlotte Observer, "When is borrowing $2 billion smart? Now," February 17, 2016
- ↑ The News & Observor, "Vote for the NC bond," March 5, 2016
- ↑ Winston-Salem Journal, "2016 endorsements: State needs Connect NC Bond," March 3, 2016
- ↑ Fayetteville Observer, "Our View: Connect NC support blossoms across party lines," March 2, 2016
- ↑ Star News, "Editorial, March 6: Why we support the statewide bond issue," March 6, 2016
- ↑ Citizen-Times, "Our view: Bond would give needed boost to state parks," February 19, 2016
- ↑ Daily Reflector, "Connect NC bond referendum worthy of strong voter support locally and statewide," March 8, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Connect NC Committee," accessed March 5, 2025
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "NC Against the Bond," accessed March 5, 2025
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedsup - ↑ 28.0 28.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedopp - ↑ Charlotte Observer, "McCrory’s signature launches $2 billion NC bond campaign," October 21, 2015
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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