The only sensible part of the proposed 2025 budget to be considered  at the May 21, 2024, District Governing Board meeting is the 11% increase in salaries and benefits for faculty and staff, which is crucial for retaining and attracting quality personnel

Editor: Robert E. Oliphant

On May 21, 2024, the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board will meet to deliberate on several financial measures aimed at funding costly capital projects on the other side of Mingus Mountain. The proposals include the issuance of a new $16 million revenue bond, the refinancing of two existing revenue bonds, and at least a 3.4 percent increase in the County property tax rate. The Board has already released between one and two million dollars in revenue at its last meeting by modifying its reserves policy at the suggestion of College leadership, thereby allowing additional annual funds to be allocated for these projects.

I contend that approval of   the tax rate increase is misguided and will disproportionately burden taxpayers in Sedona and the Verde Valley, who stand to benefit little, if at all, from these expenditures. Here’s why:

1. The proposed $11 million investment to acquire a 41-acre camp near Prescott, which includes over eighty buildings for programs and housing, lacks a compelling educational justification. While expanding the college’s footprint and providing housing are worthwhile goals, I have not seen data that prioritizes this project over other educational initiatives. Furthermore, the significant shift towards online education and the absence of a major surge in student applications suggest that such an expansion is unnecessary.

2. Constructing a $20 to $40 million Health Science building at the Prescott Valley Center is a nice idea. But it is a project that a university would undertake. It is not a project for a small Community College struggling with enrollment to consider that would, at best, provide service of sorts to only a small portion of the County. It’s way too costly to build and far too costly to maintain!

3. For over fifty years, the Community College has ignored the development needs of Yavapai County’s rural areas. In the past decade, the focus has been on enhancing facilities in and around Prescott, with approximately $150 million invested in capital construction and major renovations. In contrast, Sedona and the Verde Valley have seen scant attention, with only a handful of projects like a $9 million student residence, a $10 million distillery/beer project, and a planned commercial driving program—all of which were abandoned.

4. The District Governing Board approved a 5% tax rate hike just a year ago. I think the new additional 3.4% tax rate hike has not been educationally justified. Where are the compelling education reasons for it?

5. The only sensible part of the proposed budget is the 11% increase in salaries and benefits for faculty and staff, which is crucial for retaining and attracting quality personnel. This increase is sustainable, funded by the substantial student tuition hike already approved and the funds released from the reserve policy adjustment in April 2024.

Given the absence of serious educational justification or a showing of a dire need for the 3.4% tax rate increase, approval of it appears very unwise. Moreover, the use of the additional funds, as explained by the Community College leadership,  fail to adequately serve the broader community’s interests, some of which have been ignored for a half century.

The Board should rethink its priorities before approving this expenditure. Moreover, why isn’t there  anything more than a scintilla of concern  the Verde Valley and Sedona’s educational needs rather than investing in a road sign?

Editor: Robert E. Oliphant

OPINION. During the April 23 District Governing Board meeting, Yavapai Community College executives proposed an expenditure of up to half a million dollars for the installation of a directional sign along one of the roads leading to its Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) at the Prescott airport. This decision comes on the heels of the College’s acquisition of 1.15 acres of land for approximately a quarter million dollars back in September on which to place the sign.

Total cost for this sign: Almost three-quarters of a million dollars?

This allocation of three-quarters of a million dollars for a road sign directing drivers to CTEC is to me a prime example of wasteful spending by the Community College, indicative of a concerning shift away from addressing the many unresolved educational needs of Yavapai County. It also raises questions about the institution’s fiscal priorities and accountability, particularly in light of the ease with which funds seem to be flowing into its coffers.

Consider the broader financial landscape: At the April 23 meeting the Community College Governing Board greenlit a staggering $11 million investment to purchase and initiate renovations on a 41-acre former church camp situated outside Prescott. Furthermore, the Board seems poised to approve a $16 million new revenue bond in May, alongside plans to refinance existing bonds for additional income. Adding to the burden for County taxpayers, there’s a looming 4% property tax hike to be voted on at the May meeting, which follows last year’s 5% increase. It only requires three votes of the Governing Board to go into effect.

All these financial maneuvers are aimed at two major targets: Firstly, renovating the  the 41 acre church camp it just purchased. Secondly, to stockpile resources for the eventual construction of the $31 million Prescott Valley Health Science Center slated to begin construction in two years.

However, amidst this flurry of expenditures and ambitious projects, it’s evident that the educational needs of rural areas within the County are being brushed aside, with a sharp, almost greedy, focus on increasing property taxes to pay for Prescott area projects. This neglect is nothing new; it’s a decades-old pattern perpetuated by a District Governing Board largely centered around and lobbied by Prescott/Prescott Valley interests. Regions like Sedona and the Verde Valley continue to struggle for equitable development opportunities due to this centralized focus and successful lobbying.

It’s disheartening to witness such disproportionate allocation of resources, exemplified by the exorbitant expenditure of three-quarters of a million dollars on a mere directional sign for CTEC. This decision not only reflects a disconnect from the College’s core educational mission but also highlights a broader systemic issue of neglect towards underserved communities within our County. Moreover, some may say it reflects reckless spending and regional bias.

It’s high time for the Community College District Governing Board to reevaluate its priorities and commit to a more equitable distribution of resources, ensuring that all residents—urban and rural alike—have access to the educational opportunities they deserve. That can begin at the May Board meeting where final budget decisions will be made for the coming academic year.  Anything less is a disservice to the County citizens it purportedly serves.