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School vouchers: Our tax dollars at work—or not

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Tuesday, 24 June 2025

Written by Margaret Dickson

It has been a long time since school routines, calendars, activities, and issues registered with me—certainly since my own days in the long-gone Fayetteville City Schools or my children’s years in the Cumberland County School System. What I do remember, though, is what all those years in local schools meant to us as individuals and as a family in terms of educational quality, socialization, safety, and caring.
They meant the world—and still do in the lives of the now grown Dicksons.
Which is why what has happened to our state’s public schools for almost two decades is heartbreaking to millions of North Carolinians. It has been a long, step by painful step journey to the educational bottom.
The most recent and ongoing outrage is the transfer of our tax dollars, yours and mine, away from public schools to private institutions, many of them religious. An innocuous-sounding voucher system called Opportunity Scholarships is available to all North Carolina families whether they have incomes of $50K or $500K. The General Assembly budgeted $432M in tax dollars that came from my pocketbook and yours to move public funds into private hands. Our most populous counties, Mecklenburg and Wake, received the most, of course, with more than $39M and almost $51M, respectively. Cumberland received more than $23M for 3850 students’ tuition to private schools. Smaller, more rural counties receive far less and sometimes no voucher money, because they have fewer private schools and some have none at all.
Those millions are tax dollars that without such vouchers would likely have gone into North Carolina’s public schools.
But if that is not enough to make your blood boil, process this.
Of the students who received a tuition for private school, more than 90-percent of them—yes, you read that correctly, more than 90-percent, were already in private schools! In other words, their families were already paying tuition, so the state---that would be you and I—just gave them a freebie on their tuition bills. For the school years that just ended, it was a $432M break. Hardly chump change and to no one’s great surprise, many of these private schools raised their tuition this year, an average of 15-percent, far above inflation level.
While vouchers are a very hard hit to public education, state neglect of public education has been ongoing for years. David Rice, executive director of Public Education Works, wrote recently that the North Carolina General Assembly no longer cares about public education and, what’s more, does not care what we taxpayers think about that. Wrote Rice, legislators “don’t care that a judge ordered them decades ago to do right by schools in funding.
They don’t care how it looks for them to lavish more than half-a billion dollars on private school vouchers, even for well-off-families, as public schools begin to wither on the vine.”
“They don’t care that North Carolina now ranks 43rd in the nation for average teacher pay, down five spots from the previous year,…behind Georgia (23), Alabama (33), South Carolina (36), Tennessee (38), and Kentucky (42)."
Rice goes on to make the case that not only do legislators not care about public education. Apparently neither do we taxpayers, the supposed adults in the room. Given the fact that about 80-percent of school age North Carolinians attend public school, this is a dangerous and shortsighted approach.
Rice supports public education for the same reasons I and many other concerned North Carolinians do, even people who do not have school age children.
“They help promote economic development and job growth by enriching the quality of the labor pool.
“They attract new residents. They help lift children out of poverty and keep them away from crime. And they enrich the cultural fabric of their communities.”
Maybe we all agree with a certain First Lady who visited migrant children wearing a jacket emblazoned with, “I really don’t care Do you”

Troy's perspective: Downtown Crown Event Center

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Tuesday, 17 June 2025

Written by Troy Williams

Ultimately, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners voted 5-2 to stop construction of the downtown Crown Event Center and chose instead to renovate the existing Crown Theatre and Arena on Coliseum Drive. Commissioners Marshall Faircloth and Jeanette Council, who had previously voted in favor of the downtown site, changed their votes to align with the three new incoming commissioners: Chairman Kirk deViere, Pavan Patel, and Henry Tyson. The decision to halt the project can aptly be described as a "hot mess," encapsulating how chaotic and polarizing the situation had become. Emotions ran high, with opinions sharply divided, creating an atmosphere charged with tension and uncertainty.
Many downtown merchants are understandably disheartened as they face losing what they believe would be a golden opportunity for revitalization and growth in their businesses. They had high hopes that an economic boost would breathe new life into their storefronts, attracting more customers and fostering a vibrant shopping atmosphere. Some stakeholders expressed their disappointment, claiming the process had been flawed due to a lack of clear communication and community involvement in decision-making.
Was the proposed project financially prudent? Did it represent a viable solution aligned with Cumberland County's long-term interests? While we may not have definitive answers to these critical questions, they warrant careful consideration.
While there are still uncertainties, let's take a moment to explore a few key truths that we do understand. CSL International conducted a market and financial feasibility study for the proposed multi-purpose event center in Cumberland County. A report on this study was submitted on September 13, 2021, to Mr. Trent Merritt, the Regional Vice President of Spectra Venue Management, located at 150 Rouse Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA.
This document is available for review on the Cumberland County Crown Center website: https://www.crowncomplexnc.com/assets/doc/Cumberland-County-Multi-Purpose-Event-Center_Feasibility-Study_9.15.21-ebbe11b6af.pdf
Note potential project site rankings on page 115: "Overall, the Crown Complex site was the most preferred site with an average rank of 1.8. The next most preferred sites were Downtown Fayetteville (2.20), Fayetteville Outer Loop (2.5), and "Other" (3.0). "Other" site suggestions most commonly included were Fort Bragg, Grays Creek, Haymount, Hope Mills, and Spring Lake.
This community survey challenges the misconception that downtown Fayetteville was the most favored location. Certain influential stakeholders supported this site for reasons that remain unclear and garnered backing from specific media outlets. What is even more concerning is that many elected officials and other stakeholders were unaware of the feasibility report's existence.
Did Cumberland County miss a golden opportunity, or did it miss being bamboozled? We may never know, but we will have to become more informed citizens if we expect to have the best government. A three-member subcommittee of the Board of Commissioners made the primary decisions regarding the proposed Crown Event Site. In hindsight, this may have been a mistake, as it should have involved a broader discussion with the entire community. We will learn from our errors and ensure we do not repeat them.

Publisher's Pen: Is the Civic Center Commission relevant?

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Tuesday, 24 June 2025

Written by Bill Bowman

Last week I attended the board meeting of Cumberland County's Civic Center Commission. This is the organization that governs the Crown Coliseum Complex, and members of the board are appointed by the County Commissioners. I attended specifically to hear their comments, insights, and reactions to the June 4, 5 to 2 decision by the County Commissioners to reject the downtown Event Center proposal. Chairman Kirk deViere, Henry Tyson, Marshall Faircloth, Pavan Patel, and Jeannette Council voted in the affirmative to reject the proposed $152 million downtown Event Center.
Commissioners Glenn Adams and Veronica Jones opposed it. Adding substance, confidence, and credibility to this decision was that Faircloth and Council were both strong advocates of the downtown project from the beginning until the final vetting of the project, which was initiated under the leadership deViere.
The board meeting was an eye-opening and disappointing experience. To her credit, Board Chair Jami McLaughlin opened the meeting with a statement to the five attending Civic Board members that Cumberland County would be renovating the existing theater and arena. This news was no surprise to them as they collectively sat motionless, stone-faced, and silent, an apathetic and discerning posture that they maintained throughout the entire meeting, even through Crown Complex General Manager Seth Benalt's impressive and enthusiastic presentation about future event bookings and programs coming to the Crown Coliseum Complex in the coming months.
Equally impressive was John Raynders, Oak View Group's Food and Beverage Hospitality manager, update on the new innovative catering services they were offering, along with a creative, diverse, and upscale menu. The atmosphere in that room was surreal. No excitement, questions, or comments from those who are charged with the Crown’s oversight. Only apathetic silence.
Finally, out of desperation and in an unorthodox media move to keep the afternoon from becoming a total waste of time, CityView reporter Bill Kirby posed a question directly to Seth Benalt, asking if the rehabilitation and remodeling of the theatre and arena were feasible. Benalt responded with an emphatic and enthusiastic yes. He went on to say that absolutely both facilities could be renovated successfully and he and staff at the Crown were ready, willing, and able to make it a reality. He made it clear that he and his staff are there to serve the people of Cumberland County and they will make it work. Benalt, who has been with the Crown for nearly a decade, is excited about the future of the Crown Complex, and this was reflected in his optimistic attitude, which was an obvious juxtaposition to others in the room. Even Benalt’s enthusiastic response failed to solicit any response from the nearly comatose board. Newly sworn-in board member Vernon L. Spruill, Principal of Cape Fear High School, had a look on his face like he was thinking, “What have I got myself into?” At least Spruill showed up to the meeting. Local attorney Allen Rogers, who was appointed to the board by Commissioner Glenn Adams, has missed two meetings and he hasn’t even been sworn in yet. Go figure!
Everyone remained silent until the very end of the meeting when Chairwoman Jami McLaughlin asked if there were any final comments. Yes. There was. Without heeding the advice of Samual L Clemmons, famed Mark Twain, who said, “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it, and remove all doubt,” Peter Pappas went on a diatribe of commentary full of false and misleading information, innuendos, and a critical lack of facts. He made his point several times that he was not at all pleased with the decision made by the Board of Commissioners, specifically Board Chair Kirk deViere, Henry Tyson, Marshall Faircloth, Jeannette Council, and Pavan Patel. He, like Commissioners Glenn Adams and Veronica Jones, advocated to have it built in downtown Fayetteville. Pappas was also upset that the Civic Center Commission was not actively involved in the ongoing discussions about the Event Center and stated he was “…shocked at the cancellation…”. If the Civic Center Commission is not involved, Pappas wants to know … why we’re here.”
Well, after observing their meeting, I’m asking the same question.
Pappas' sentiments were echoed by local attorney Ken Burns, who agreed it was a bad decision to abandon the project. However, to me, the most revealing and ridiculous aspect of the Pappas/Burns tirade was the reference that they were “kept in the dark” about the details of the project. Well, not only have deViere, Tyson and Patel campaigned on their commitment to government transparency, but it indicates again that Pappas wants to be a master at misinformation, or he is too lazy to stay abreast of the issues. This Event Center proposal has been discussed at open meetings, been the topic of at least two radio talk shows, and written about ad nauseam by Troy Williams, CityView, Fayetteville Observer, and the Up & Coming Weekly newspaper. In addition, the documents that ultimately led to the final decision are all linked and available online. And, don’t forget the mountain of dribble on social media. If these folks were kept in the dark, they had their eyes closed.
I’ll conclude by saying that being appointed to a board of Cumberland County is an honor. Members are expected to support that entity and provide the time and talents to oversee the mission, goals, and mandates that serve the best interest of Cumberland County. If this commitment is not evident, those board members should be removed or the board should be disbanded.
The decision has been made to renovate, remodel, and rehabilitate the theatre and arena, and now we move forward. Seth Benalt and his team are excited, ready, willing, and able to meet the challenges that will positively carry out the County’s mandates for the betterment of the entire community. A good board member is committed and engaged with a passion for the organization's purpose and mission. They must be dedicated and willing to put forth the time, effort, and resources beyond just attending meetings.
A strong board cannot exist without members with these characteristics. I spent six years on the Coliseum Board and watched it being built from the first shovel of dirt. I don’t want to see it go away, so it has to become relevant and supportive of the county’s mission. If it cannot accomplish this, it needs to be disbanded. Just Sayin!
Thank you for reading the Up & Coming Weekly newspaper.

Lessons in mythology: Father's Day can be complicated

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Tuesday, 17 June 2025

Written by Pitt Dickey

Father’s Day has just passed us by. Late being better than never, here is a belated salute to Father’s Day as celebrated by our old buddy Oedipus in Greek mythology land. If you think your family constellation is convoluted, you got nuthin’ on Oedipus. Kindly read this to realize your own family situation ain’t so bad. Consider Leo Tolstoy’s observation in Anna Karenina: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Oedipus’s unhappy family was unhappiness on an alleged Elon Musk-like cocktail of Ketamine, ecstasy, magic mushrooms, LSD, and cocaine. Let us begin.
Oedipus was born to King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes. After long term infertility, Laius went to the Oracle at Delphi for help. The Oracle told Laius disturbing news that if he had a son, his son would kill him. Nonetheless, the Queen soon gets into a family way, giving birth to Oedipus. Laius, uninterested in being killed by his son, decided offing the kid was the best plan.
He pierced the infant Oedipus’ ankles, binding them together to prevent Oedipus from crawling away. He ordered one of his lackeys to leave Oedipus on a mountain to die. The Lackey felt sorry for Oedipus, giving him to a shepherd. The shepherd ultimately gave Oedipus to the childless King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth who raised Oedipus as their own child.
Years later, Oedipus ran across a drunk who told him that he was adopted. Oedipus confronted Polybus and Merope but they denied adopting him. Oedipus smelled a rat. He went to the Oracle at Delphi for counseling. The Oracle told him that he would murder his father and marry his mother. This news freaked Oedipus out. He decided not to return home, but go to Thebes instead. On the way there, Oedipus got into the first recorded road rage incident when he came to an intersection where his biological father Laius was riding in a chariot. They got into a fuss over who had the right of way which resulted in a fight in which Oedipus killed his father.
Oedipus resumed his trip to Thebes but was stopped by a Sphinx blocking the road. The Sphinx stopped all travelers to ask them a riddle. If the traveler couldn’t answer it, the Sphinx would kill and eat him. The riddle was: “What walks on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at night?” Oedipus answered: “Man: as an infant he crawls on all fours, as an adult he walks on two legs, and in old age he uses a walking stick.” No one had ever answered her riddle before. The Sphinx was so upset she leaped off a cliff and killed herself.
When Oedipus got to Thebes, he learned that Creon, the brother of Queen Jocasta had announced that anyone who killed the Sphinx would be made King of Thebes and marry the widowed Queen Jocasta. Oedipus, who did not know they were related, married his Mom. They produced four children together. After some years, a plague came to Thebes. Oedipus summoned Tiresias the blind prophet. He learned the plague would not end until the murderer of King Laius was found. Oedipus got extremely angry. You would not like him when he is angry. To calm him down, Jocasta told him the story of how her first child had supposedly died. Oedipus got an uneasy feeling because he knew that he had killed Laius. He got even queasier thinking about the prophecy. Like Saul on the road to Damascus, Jocasta suddenly realized Oedipus was her son. Bummed out by this knowledge, Jocasta hung herself.
Oedipus bumped into the same shepherd who had saved him as an infant. The shepherd told him the whole sordid story. He realized the prophecy had come true, and he killed his father and married his mother. Oedipus freaked out and went looking for his wife/mother. He discovered she had hung herself. He was so distraught that he took a pin from a brooch she was wearing and blinded himself. He spent the rest of his unhappy life as a blind man wandering the country guided by his daughter/half sister Antigone. Whew. What a mess.
Don’t you feel better now about your own family situation in comparison to Oedipus? Life is not so bad, eh? Paraphrasing Julie Andrews: “A spoonful of misery for someone else/ Makes the medicine go down/ In the most delightful way.” Or to sum up Oedipus and his Mom’s relationship, as John Sebastian of the Loving Spoonful once sang in a different context: “You didn’t have to be so nice/ I would have liked you anyway.” Author’s Note: No Sphinxes or Sigmund Freud were harmed in writing this column.

(Illustration by Pitt Dickey)