Coconino County voters deny CCC’s request for override

Seven-year $4.5 million override would have helped maintain College’s core missions

FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County voters on Tuesday, Nov. 5, denied Coconino Community College’s request to fund a seven-year $4.5 million override, the institution reported Wednesday in a media release.

The money would have helped the college preserve its three core missions, officials reported.

“CCC is the community’s college. The community has spoken through this vote and the College will now respond,” Dr. Leah L. Bornstein, CCC president, stated in the release. “Decisions will be made by the District Governing Board regarding the mission of the College that will allow us to stay in business. This will be one of the most difficult decisions the board has made and the results will be painful to many throughout our county. As always, we will keep you informed as to the changes that will occur.”

“Coconino County voters did not pass the CCC override. Changes will be made to the core missions to sustain the college,” Patrick Hurley, CCC District Governing Board chairman, stated in the release. “As these decisions are made, the college will inform the community as to which programs and services will change.”

Coconino Community College officials thanked the following groups and the many individuals who contributed their time and efforts on the college’s behalf:

• American Association of University Women
• Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
• Coconino Community College alumni
• Coconino Community College Citizens’ Review Panel
• Coconino Community College District Governing Board
• Coconino Community College employees
• Coconino Community College Foundation Board
• Coconino Community College students
• Coconino County voters
• Democratic Party of Northern Arizona
• Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA)
• Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce
• Flagstaff Forty
• Friends of Flagstaff’s Future
• Goodwill Industries of Northern Arizona
• The Maguire Company
• Nestle Purina
• Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology
• Professional Flagstaff Firefighters
• Support Coconino Community College Political Action Committee
• United Way of Northern Arizona

The college has a three-prong mission, officials said:

1. Provide career and technical education that is much needed in northern Arizona, including: nursing, fire science and paramedic instruction.
2. Prepare students within the educational pipeline seeking bachelor’s degrees and beyond through programs such as the award winning transition program of CCC2NAU, STEM classes and high school programs where students earn college credit while still in high school.
3.  Provide training for employees at local and regional companies, workforce development and lifelong learning opportunities for all Coconino County residents.

CCC has already taken substantial cost-cutting steps including more than 100 initiatives that slashed nearly $4 million from the budget; reduced staff by 15 percent; eliminated 30 percent of its certificate and degree programs; and most recently closed the Williams campus, officials said.

Meanwhile, the college has been forced to raise tuition to the highest level of any community college in Arizona. The high tuition rate is a direct consequence of very low property taxes and state funding cuts, officials said.

In 1991, Coconino County voters approved the creation of Coconino Community College. Over the past 20 years, the college’s mission has expanded to meet community needs, but CCC’s property taxes have been strictly limited — the lowest tax rate of any community college in Arizona. If the override had passed, the increase in funding would have kept CCC as the lowest property tax rate of any community college in Arizona, officials said.