When I served on the County’s Economic Development Advisory Board the strategy was to help balance the Currituck economy by attracting companies in high-tech design and/ or light manufacturing to grow a high paid work force and offer employment opportunities to future generations. Currituck offered low priced housing, a shovel ready Maple Commerce Park (paid by Occupancy Tax) and a very low property tax rate of only $0.32 per hundred.

Despite initial high interest no deals were made because companies like these have management teams with children aspiring to a great college education. When they found out that Currituck’s public schools were not accredited and that the closest quality private schools are in Virginia the interest evaporated.

County management and the Commissioners were made aware of this, but in almost a decade not much has changed. This is a deal breaker for sustainable economic growth on the mainland.