With a decision on the state's proposed budget looming, supporters of
the Western North Carolina School of Science and Math are being
asked to contact several key legislators without delay.
Rountree Collett is one of many community, business, elected and
educational leaders involved in the effort to locate a second campus of
this school in Morganton. "We started out with companion bills, initiated
by our Burke County delegation and cosponsored by other supportive western
regional representatives, that provided funding for the advance planning
for the project," Collett said. "Unfortunately, the initial Senate budget
stripped out the funding but left in place language generally favorable to
the idea of our goal. We were initially worried about the same thing
happening in the House, but we succeeded in getting amended language into
the final House budget providing the funding for advanced planning."
Now the House and Senate versions of the budget are headed to a conference
committee where differences between the two versions -- including the
funding provisions around the WNCSSM -- will be worked out. Collett said the
goal of supporters is to keep the House's language in the final budget
bill. "Especially now, we need to reinforce to legislators that advanced
planning for this project is extremely important to fund, as an educational
initiative for our state and an economic development boost to our region," he emphasized.
If you or your company supports this regional effort, please consider calling, e-mailing or writing the following key Senators right away and encouraging them to work with Senator Warren Daniel to keep the House version of the western NCSSM language (specifying Morganton location and funding) in the final budget bill.
Senator Harry Brown: Harry.Brown@ncleg.net
919-715-3034
NC Senate
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 300-B
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
(Jones and Onslow Counties)
Senator Ralph Apodaca: Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net
919-733-5745
NC Senate
16 W. Jones Street, Room 2010
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
(Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania Counties)
Senator Neal Hunt: Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net
919-733-5850
NC Senate
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 309
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
(Wake County)
Senator Dan Soucek: Dan.Soucek@ncleg.net
919-733-5742
NC Senate
300 N. Salisbury Street - Room 310
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
(Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell and Watauga)
Senator Austin Allran: Austin.Allran@ncleg.net
919-733-5876
NC Senate
300 N. Salisbury Street - Room 625
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
(Alexander and Catawba Counties)
Senator Ralph Hise: Ralph.Hise@ncleg.net
919-733-3460
NC Senate
16 W. Jones Street - Room 1026
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
(Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, and
Yancey Counties)