Ballot question
New Hanover County School Bonds Referendum
- On the ballot in
- New Hanover County
- Vote
- Yes or no
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
The question, as printed on the ballot
Additional property taxes may be levied on property located in the County of New Hanover in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on bonds if approved by the following ballot question. SHALL the order authorizing $320,525,000 of bonds plus interest to provide funds to pay the capital costs of constructing, improving, and renovating school facilities, including, but not limited to, the construction and renovation of classroom facilities, the acquisition and installation of furnishings and equipment, the acquisition of land, rights-of-way and easements in land required therefor, and related public infrastructure development, and providing that additional taxes may be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds be approved, in light of the following: (1) The estimated cumulative cost over the life of the bonds, using the highest interest rate charged for similar debt over the last 20 years, would be $500,377,988 (consisting of $320,525,000 principal amount of the bonds plus $179,852,988 of interest). (2) The estimated amount of property tax liability increase for each one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of property tax value to service the cumulative cost over the life of the bond provided above would be $5.00 per year, which includes the impact of anticipated grant receipts from the New Hanover Community Endowment in the amount of $11,600,000 per year for ten years beginning in February 2028.
A “Yes” vote means
Approves the order letting New Hanover County issue up to $320,525,000 in bonds to build, renovate and equip school facilities, repaid with property taxes (estimated $5 a year per $100,000 of value).
A “No” vote means
Rejects the order; New Hanover County could not issue these $320,525,000 in school bonds.
The Board of Commissioners adopted the bond order and called the referendum on June 15, 2026. The county expects to issue the bonds in three series over five to seven years; The Endowment's grant of up to $116 million over ten years is applied to debt service, which the county says lowers the needed tax increase to one-half cent per $100 of value.
Sources
- Sample Ballot, New Hanover County, November 3, 2026 (ballot style B0001) · New Hanover County Board of Elections
- Referendum Choices List Grouped by Referendum, all counties (November 3, 2026) · North Carolina State Board of Elections
- Statement of Disclosures On General Obligation Bonds - $320,525,000 (2026 School Bond: What It Funds and What It Costs) · New Hanover County
The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.