The Maricopa County Community College District faces the dilemma of whether to increase its spending cap, an issue that will be decided by county voters this November.
The decision could have a major impact on the district, which serves more than 100,000 students each year.
Proposition 486 asks voters whether they can increase their district’s current spending cap to support a new permanent spending equation. This change requires no additional funding or tax increases. If approved, the district would be allowed to proceed with an increase in spending limits from $451 million to $902 million.
The current equation that defines a school district’s budget cap is the base limit set in 1980 multiplied by the number of full-time students, adjusted for inflation. Even if funds were available for additional spending, current rules do not allow the funds to be spent without approval from the state Legislature.
District officials say it is no longer an accurate measure of how much the district is spending because it is based on an outdated metric that does not take into account additional services the district provides, such as bachelor’s degrees or new workforce development programs. states.
“This adjustment will allow the district to continue to provide affordable opportunities for all residents to earn associate’s and bachelor’s degrees while supporting Maricopa County’s growing economy,” said District Board President Susan Bitter Smith. can serve as a major source of workforce training programs for the In a statement.
If the proposal does not pass, the authority would have to cut this year’s budget by more than $100 million.
The Arizona Professional Firefighters, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Maricopa Community College Teachers Association support the effort, saying they benefit from the services the district provides to students.
No groups opposed the changes to the public relations pamphlet, and Bitter-Smith said the district is not aware of any organized efforts to oppose the proposal.
The community college district is the largest in the country, enrolling 135,000 students this year. The district is also the largest provider of dual enrollment programs in the state, serving 27,000 high school students last year. Approximately 87% of current students are Maricopa County residents.
Voters who have questions about what the increased spending cap means for their district should contact: expenditure.limitation@domail.maricopa.edu.
Helen Rumel covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Please contact hrummel@azcentral.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter: @helenrummel).
