Modular, factory built schools; more trailers and renting space are the best of a poor lot of options facing the Wake School Board. The sudden influx of new students needs to be dealt with quickly in time to provide 5,800+ new seats estimated for the 2005 school year. But over time these stop-gap measure just dig the financial hole of inadequate funds for school construction deeper and deeper. Modular schools, according to WC Public School System staff, cost double over their lifetime compared to standard school construction. Maintenance is higher and energy efficiency is lower. Also, modular schools have only half the estimated life of standard construction. And all of the stop-gap measures have a negative impact on housing values and on recruiting high quality jobs.

Some, like County Commissioner Herb Council, offer the "cure" of less emphasis on maintenance and more emphasis on building new schools. But the WCPSS already is spending at half the rate suggested for maintaining commercial office buildings. And if your child is in an older school with a leaky roof, unreliable air conditioning and worn out carpeting that is not an acceptable answer.

County Commissioner Chairman Kenn Gardner says "build them faster". Does that mean the WCPSS can spend four years of their construction budget in three years - precipitating a property tax increase? Unlikely, since he also says he is not going to increase property taxes. (He said that once before but didn't mean it.) It probably means more modular schools - a financially unsound solution.

Nor do these fake cures address the twin roots of the problem. One root is that County government has 100% of the responsibility for financing the construction and maintenance of schools. Wake County has chronically under-funded school construction and maintenance to minimize the politically unsavory task of raising property taxes. The property tax rate is lower than it was ten years ago and is one of the lowest in the nation for an urbanized, fast-growing area.

The latest in a long series of under-funding incidents was last year when the WCPSS asked for $867 million for school construction over four years and was granted $500 million by the County Commissioners.

The second root cause is growth. Wake County is the fastest growing county in the state. Wake grew last year by 70 residents per day. School population grew by about 15 students per day. Why? Better schools and more jobs than surrounding areas.

Growth does not pay for itself. Every dollar of new tax revenues is more than offset by about $1.25 of new expenses and needs for new infrastructure, e.g. schools. Each new school seat requires an investment of $15,000 (now over $20,000) plus funds for additional teachers. Some say "stop the growth". But growth means badly needed new jobs and additional profits for business. Growth is beneficial but only if a portion of the benefits are returned for schools and roads. There's the rub. The so-called "conservative" model is that growth in government expenditures, taxes and fees, is "bad".

There are two solutions. Get growth to pay for growth (school impact fees or property transfer taxes) - or raise property taxes. Both have powerful opponents. The first solution is opposed by the development/realtor lobby - the biggest source of campaign financing for county and state legislators. The fact is that nine, slower-growing counties have such powers granted by the NC General Assembly. But big money interests trump reason.

Another source of opposition is epitomized by NC Rep. J. Russell Capps and his powerful Wake County Taxpayers Association. With righteous arrogance he publicly dresses down County Commissioners who dare propose an increase in property taxes.

And then there are the majority of county commissioners and state legislators who first goal is to get re-elected rather than solve the problem and get caught in the crossfire. Frustrated parents lash out at the school board, who tries to clean-up the mess left by the politicians. And so the financial hole deepens.

While frustrated parents are growing in numbers, they lack organization, leadership and a focus on the roots of the problem.

Individual complaints will get nowhere.

It has taken years to build the WCPSS into the tremendous asset it is to families and businesses in Wake County. But its financial foundations are being undermined. It would be tragic if action were taken only after the collapse was self-evident.