Our public schools provide far more than just an education. They provide breakfast and lunch for kids whose families are struggling to make ends meet. They provide on-site mental health counseling, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. They provide a chance for kids to play organized sports without having to pay expensive club fees. They provide individualized education and accommodations so that all students can learn and succeed. They provide community, connection, and belonging. They are, in so many ways, the life blood of our communities and the foundation of a thriving democracy. 

But all of that takes money. And right now DPS, like every school district across the state, does not have enough money for the public schools our kids deserve. We don’t have enough money because the Republican majority in Raleigh has chosen not to provide our schools with the resources they so desperately need. Instead, they chose to carve away at our state revenue through drastic tax cuts that have only benefited big corporations and the richest North Carolinians. As a result of these choices, North Carolina is 50th in the nation—dead last—when it comes to public school funding.

Fern Hickey Credit: Courtesy photo
Natalia Artigas Credit: Courtesy photo

As members of Durham For All and Public School Strong, we have been in conversation with hundreds of public school families across Durham, where we heard heartfelt stories about how they see and feel the impacts of these budget cuts every day. We don’t have enough buses to get our kids to and from school. We don’t have enough nurses and social workers to provide the holistic care our kids need. Before and after school care, which is so important to working families, is costly, and slots are limited. Teachers and families are paying for basic supplies out of their own pockets. And our educators and school staff, who pour so much care into our kids, are often struggling to make ends meet. 

We know it doesn’t have to be this way. We know that there is more than enough wealth and resources in this state and across Durham to ensure that our schools don’t just have the basics, but have everything they need to thrive. However, instead of making corporations and the ultra wealthy pay what they owe in taxes, corporate Republicans want to permanently lock in underfunding for generations, by writing bad tax policies into our state constitution. We won’t be fooled.

There are two devastating tax-related constitutional amendments on our ballots this election. One amendment would permanently cap the state income rate at 3.5%. Despite what they want you to think, this amendment will not save you any money because the personal income tax rate is already set to go below 3.5%. What this amendment will do is prevent North Carolina from being able to collect the taxes that the wealthy and corporations owe to our public schools and so much more. It will prevent future legislators from addressing needs arising from enrollment growth, inflation, emergencies, or economic downturn. 

The other tax amendment would limit the ability of local governments to raise the money needed to fund public services our communities rely on. Concretely, this will impact the maintenance and repair of our school buildings and the level of local supplements that help teachers and support staff earn the salaries they deserve. Estimates from the NC Housing Coalition are that this amendment could cost Durham County $21 million in revenue—enough to fund over 400 teaching positions. Who would benefit from this amendment? The top 10 largest property owners in Durham, including Duke Energy, Southpoint Mall, and biotech and pharmaceutical companies, would together avoid paying over $700,000 a year in property taxes. Meanwhile, the average homeowner will save next to nothing. There is a great program run by Durham County to help homeowners who are struggling to pay property taxes. We need more programs like this, and more money to fund them, not these bad amendments. 

So when you show up to the polls to vote in the General Election, remember that: 

A vote against the tax amendments is a vote against last place in educational funding.

A vote against the tax amendments is a vote against low teacher pay. 

A vote against the tax amendments is a vote against putting corporations over our kids.

A vote against the tax amendments is a vote FOR funding our future.

Fern Hickey is the parent of a 7th grader at Shepard Middle School and a member of Durham Public School Strong and Durham For All. Natalia Artigas is a Durham Public Schools graduate and member leader with Durham For All.