The campaign to support bonds that will help transform Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officially launched Thursday. The mission is to empower communities by advocating for the approval of bonds, fostering progress through strategic investments in schools, and securing a prosperous future for children across Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
In the upcoming municipal elections on Nov. 7, Mecklenburg County voters have the chance to approve 30 transformative projects that will replace or renovate outdated schools across the county, creating safer and healthier learning environments for students.
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance will lead the Vote Yes for Bonds campaign with the support of three consulting firms. The campaign is chaired by Mary McCray, a longtime CMS educator; Ralph Lopez Massas, a senior vice president at American Airlines; and David Longo, chairman and CEO of CBI Workplace Solutions.
“If we want equal opportunities and better outcomes for our students – especially our most vulnerable students – we must provide them with healthy and safe learning environments,” McCray, who taught in CMS schools for 25 years, said. “This bond is long overdue. It will help keep our students safe and give them opportunities to learn in facilities they deserve.”
“The school bond is an investment in our students and in the future of Mecklenburg County,” Lopez Massas said. “A strong public school system will produce an educated workforce and ensure prosperity and opportunity in our county for years to come. That’s why the business community is banding together to support the bond and the Vote Yes campaign.”
“In our county’s growing suburban areas, schools are overcrowded; in Charlotte’s established communities, schools are outdated and unsafe,” Longo said. “The 30 transformative projects in this school bond help solve both problems. Strengthening Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is critical to the long-term success of our county.”
The campaign has a diverse and robust committee of volunteers from all corners of the county. For more on the bonds or the Vote Yes campaign, visit voteyesforbonds.com.
