The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
This Tuesday we have an opportunity to significantly increase our education resources in our region without having to raise taxes.
Pima Community College has an “expenditure limitation” set by the State Legislature in 1979. That limitation puts a cap on what Pima College can spend on student services. That cap has never been raised. Pima is operating under a formula that uses 1979 costs and as a result, the college has the lowest per pupil spending allowance for any community college in the state.
Increasing the expenditure limitation as proposed will bring the college to the median for community colleges in Arizona and allow the college to spend an additional $3,000 per student.
Since 1979, the Pima County property base has grown and therefore, next year alone, with the passage of this proposition, the college would have over $11 million more to spend on students, again with no increase in taxes.
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This means more money for scholarships, apprenticeship programs, child care for students’ children, counseling and job placement for the college’s students.
Without the passage of this initiative, those funds cannot be used for students or programs but only for buildings or financing debt.
Students are at the heart of Proposition 481. Passage of this initiative will position the college to better serve its diverse student population and continue its mission to help students succeed.
The college will use the funds for expanding and improving programs in aviation mechanics, construction, automotive technology, health care, hospitality, advanced manufacturing and IT and cybersecurity.
Innovations in technology have increasingly changed the way we live, work and play. However, that change has been accelerated expeditiously by COVID-19. Before the pandemic hit, Pima Community College had intentionally been partnering with regional businesses to develop curriculum and programs that would train students to find high-quality, good paying jobs in Pima County.
Now, faced with our economic downturn we need to focus our recovery efforts by strengthening our college. PCC’s programs allow for all of us to go back to school for additional education, certification programs and to serve as the bridge between high school and further college learning.
When I was mayor, I came to appreciate what Pima Community College provides to our community. A “yes” vote on Proposition 481 will allow the college to lead our region out of the pandemic-caused recession, making the region attractive for employers who will see a skilled work force and a region that prioritizes work-force training and higher education for all of our community.
In this time of polarization and controversial approaches to resolve our community problems this proposition offers a pragmatic solution which has garnered support among our region’s community and business leaders as well as our elected officials from both sides of the aisle.
We all recognize that the way to better quality of life is through education, and Pima College is at the center of that effort in our region.
This initiative will be near the end of your ballot. Please take the time to go to the end of the ballot (it may require turning over the ballot) and vote “yes” on Proposition 481.
Jonathan Rothschild