Lawmakers push forward $1.9 billion school borrowing plan
For poor counties, it will provide an opportunity to provide a major piece of educational and technological infrastructure that would help make communities across the state more attractive for economic development, provided better educational opportunities.
More than $588 million in public school building capital has been spent for construction over the past five years, education officials said, with a majority of the money coming from the state lottery.
"Even if we support the lottery being returned to its original pledge, ... it would take us 40 years to satisfy the needs that we have in the public school community right now," Winner said.
According to Tillman, the bond issue comes at a perfect time.