PROPOSITION 1, Ballot Language
The issuance of $224,800,000.00 for the construction, renovation and equipment of college buildings district-wide (including but not limited to the renovation and repurposing of Highland Mall for a regional workforce innovation center, regional health sciences and STEM simulator lab, professional incubator space, digital/creative media center, culinary hospitality center and other college purposes; and the construction of a northwest campus in Leander), and the acquisition of real property for college purposes (including but not limited to property for the southeast Travis County regional workforce training center), and the levying of the tax in payment thereof.
PROPOSITION 2, Ballot Language
The issuance of $161,166,950.00 for the construction, renovation and equipment of college buildings district-wide (including but not limited to renovations for health, safety, technology, and environmental sustainability throughout the district; renovations at other district campuses for health science careers, radio/TV/film, trades and other programs after relocation of certain programs to Highland Mall); construction of college buildings on the Hays Campus for a regional first responder training center; expansion of the Round Rock Campus; construction of a workforce building at the Elgin Campus to house veterinary and animal science and other workforce programs, and the levying of the tax in payment thereof.
SPECIAL MAINTENANCE TAX RATE ELECTION PROPOSITION, Ballot Language
Increasing the Austin Community College District maintenance tax rate by an additional one cent ($0.01) above the existing nine cent ($0.09) rate in fiscal year 2016 and by an additional one cent ($0.01) in fiscal year 2018 and by an additional one cent ($0.01) in fiscal year 2020?
EXPLANATION OF PROPOSITIONS
PROPOSITION 1: Planned Growth and Workforce Advancement
• Finish repurposing the Highland Mall campus ($152.8M) to serve as a regional workforce and health science center, digital creative media center, culinary and hospitality center, and as a pro- fessional incubator space.
• Build a new Leander campus ($60M).
• Acquire real property for the Southeast Travis County Workforce Training Center ($12M).
PROPOSITION 2: Safety, Technology, Environmental, and Sustainability Improvements
• Make district-wide renovations for health, safety, and sustainability ($81M).
• Expand the Round Rock campus ($33.4M).
• Provide a regional first-responders training center, Hays campus ($22.4M).
• Provide a veterinary and sustainable agricultural workforce training center, Elgin campus ($13.2M).
• Repurpose older spaces for kinesiology, art, dance, radio/TV/film, trades, and other programs ($11.2M).
Maintenance and Operations Tax Cap Election
• ACC is also asking voters to raise the cap on its maintenance and operations tax rate. If approved, there would be a three-cent increase per $100 property valuation, phased in at one cent each in fiscal years 2016, 2018, and 2020, to a maximum of 12 cents. In addition, school administrators will begin budgeting for a tuition freeze the next four fiscal years.
• The ACC bond and maintenance tax cap will amount to an additional $40 a year to the property tax bill for a $200,000 home.
Proponents say
• The proposed improvements ensure a pipeline of skilled workers throughout the region for the jobs of today and tomorrow, while keeping college affordable.
• This is only the second time that ACC has proposed a district-wide bond proposal in its 41-year history.
• Raising tuition has paid for past improvements to facilities. This request to raise the cap is directly related ACC’s commitment to hold the line on tuition.
Opponents say
• Taxpayers already feel stretched.
• Considering that there has been a decline in ACC enrollment of about 8% since 2011, there is not enough data to support the need for this additional funding.
• Campus advisory committees are supposed to report to the board to effect policy changes; however, the committees have been ignored.
Next week we’ll bring you a story about the impact of the ACC bond to HCISD voters.
*Information courtesy of League of Women Voters of Austin
