No Tax $$$ to promote ConnectNC? (I don’t think so.)

shakeProponents of the ConnectNC bond issue are hitting us with a BUNCH of lies.  No tax increase.  No tax money being used to promote it. 

We’ve already trashed the first one.  The ConnectNC committee’s finance report on file with the state board of elections does a great job of refuting the second one.

We’re told the marketing effort for the bond is funded by “foundation money” from colleges across the state that is pretty much from private sources.

  • Southeastern Community College gave $6,800 n “institutional funds” to the pro-bond effort on Dec.23.
  • Sandhills Community College gave $3,500 in “special funds” to the pro-bond effort on Dec. 23.
  • Southwestern Community College gave $7,000 in “institutional funds” to the pro-bond effort on February 4.
  • UNC-Pembroke gave $23,000 in ”institutional trust funds” to the pro-bond effort on Dec. 28.
  • UNCW gave $66,000 in “institutional funds” to the pro-bond effort on February 4.
  • UNCG gave $105,000 in “institutional funds” on February 4.
  • Winston-Salem State University gave $25,000 in “institutional funds” in January.

Institutional funds?  THAT is not privately-donated funds to alumni associations.  THAT is money that comes from the budget that pays for buildings, personnel, grounds, materials and other operating expenses.  There are likely federal funds AND state funds intermingled in those “institutional funds.”

These people are funding a dubious propaganda blitz with OUR MONEY to convince us to give them EVEN MORE OF OUR MONEY.

Say NO to ConnectNC.