What Wake County Voters Should Know.

The 2026 Wake Tech Bond is a $149.1 million bond package that would fund long-term capital investment at Wake Tech campuses across Wake County.

The proposed projects focus on public-safety training, skilled-trades and automotive education, health care training, facility renovations, and campuswide infrastructure and technology improvements. Bond funds would not be used for employee salaries or routine operating expenses.

Wake County is growing, and its workforce needs are growing with it. Employers need trained workers in health care, public safety, advanced manufacturing, automotive technology, construction and the skilled trades.

Many of these careers require specialized equipment and hands-on learning environments. The bond would help Wake Tech update aging facilities, expand training capacity and maintain the infrastructure that supports students across the college.

Bond proceeds would be restricted to the capital purposes approved by voters.

Projects are proposed at several Wake Tech campuses:

• Eastern Wake Campus: Completion of the Fire and Rescue Training Center
• Scott Northern Wake Campus: Expansion of automotive training facilities
• Southern Wake Campus: Expansion of welding, electrical and HVAC laboratories, along with broader facility renovations
• Perry Health Sciences Campus: Dental Hygiene program renovations
• Conlon Western Wake Campus: Planning for a future health sciences-focused building; construction is not included in this bond
• Campuses throughout Wake County: Infrastructure, technology, safety and accessibility improvements

Together, these projects would support training for firefighters, first responders, automotive technicians, electricians, HVAC technicians, welders and health care professionals.

Yes. The 2022 bond funded a separate group of major growth projects, including expansion of the Perry Health Sciences Campus, development of the permanent Conlon Western Wake Campus, expansion at the RTP Campus and other infrastructure investments.

The smaller 2026 bond addresses the college’s next identified capital needs, with a focus on public-safety and skilled-trades training, renovations at the Southern Wake Campus, and maintenance and modernization of existing facilities.

Wake Tech serves approximately 75,000 students through more than 250 academic, technical and workforce-training programs at nine campuses/sites. It prepares many of the professionals Wake County residents and businesses depend on every day—from nurses and first responders to electricians, mechanics and construction professionals.

By expanding training capacity, the bond would help more residents prepare for in-demand careers while giving local employers access to skilled workers. Wake Tech generates an estimated $1 billion annually for the local economy, and its graduates earn nearly $10,000 more per year, on average, because of their education.

County officials estimate the combined bond packages would increase the property tax rate by approximately one-half cent per $100 of assessed value beginning in fiscal year 2028. That works out to about $5 annually for every $100,000 of assessed value, or roughly $22.50 per year for a home valued at $450,000.