Governing Board votes down tax to hike revenue

Joseph Starkloff

The Maricopa Community College governing board voted down a 2 percent property tax hike during the summer break. The increase would have generated nearly $7.4 million for the colleges. Jerry Walker, the governing board secretary, made the deciding vote against the tax. He suggested that a sales tax increase, similar to Proposition 100, would be a better method to increase funding for the district.

“I wanted a sales tax to support education. There’s going to be more money made for the education system in a sales tax than there would be in a property tax,” Walker said.

He also stated he had no concerns that the colleges would lack revenue without the money the increase would have produced.

“I have no fear at all that there will be a lacking of funding,” Walker said. “They will have to allocate the funds that they have more perfectly. We can hold their feet to the fire a little bit better.”

He asserted that the American public is currently overtaxed, and that it will affect the upcoming generation.

“I don’t understand why we have forced our young people to finance their future away for the privilege of working in it,” Walker said.

Shouan Pan, president of Mesa Community College, stated he understood and respected the board’s decision, but had a different perspective of the raise.

“I wish the board . look(ed) at the property tax, instead of a burden, as an investment,” he said.

He used the rise in MCC’s enrollment as an example of its need.

“Our enrollment has gone up so much . and the budget has not changed in tuition or property tax. So we have more students and less budget. The challenge is to maintain instructional quality,” he said.

He also stated that the funding would have been used to improve and maintain service for the students.

“The money that should be raised is not going to be a salary increase for any employees. It’s going to be for the most important part, which is students,” he said.

Dana Saar, who is running against Walker in the November election, stated he didn’t see a short term effect on the colleges due to the rejection of the tax hike.

“It’s not going to make a huge difference in the district at this stage. You can always go back and recapture it,” he said.

Saar also stated he would have likely voted no as well.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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