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Commissioners decline 2026 UCPS bond request for now, saying delay to 2028 could minimize tax impact
Summary
After hearing Union County Public Schools’ capital needs and reviewing county debt models, commissioners voted to postpone placing the UCPS bond referendum on the November 2026 ballot and directed staff to revisit the matter for 2028, citing potential to reduce or eliminate tax‑rate impacts as existing debt falls off.
Union County Public Schools officials presented a proposal asking the board to place several projects on a November 2026 bond referendum, including construction at Parkwood High School, design work for Piedmont Middle School, and additions at Wolf School. UCPS staff and the county finance director walked commissioners through long‑term project lists and debt models that included the required disclosure using the legislative (higher) interest‑rate assumption and a lower county planning rate.
County Finance Director Beverly LS explained that, under the state’s required disclosure methodology, a $173 million financing tied to the schools’ long‑range plan would show an estimated cumulative debt‑service cost and could translate into an equivalent tax‑rate increase of about 0.25¢ (roughly $2.50 per $100,000 of assessed value) using the highest rate the law requires the county to show. Under the county’s planning rate assumption the modeled tax impact would be lower.
Commissioners questioned enrollment projections, capacity, the expected timing of debt service, and the possibility of minimizing future rate impacts as existing school debt matures. Several commissioners said they preferred delaying the request to 2028 to allow more debt to fall off the schedule and possibly avoid a tax‑rate increase. After debate a motion to decline placing the UCPS bond on the 2026 ballot and to revisit the proposal for 2028 passed on a voice vote.
County staff said they would continue working with UCPS to refine project timing and costs and to present updated modeling if commissioners ask to reconsider in a future cycle.
