Primary property tax rate increases and tuition hikes provide millions for capital projects with little citizen accountability or justification

The Yavapai Community College building boom supported by primary property tax revenue and increased student tuition continues throughout the District with the west side of the County spending millions in renovations, new parking lots, and new construction.  Since 2013, when the District Governing Board approved the $103.5 million dollar capital development plan in concept (with less than 5% going to the Verde Valley/Sedona), construction and renovation has been nonstop. This is especially true on the West side of the County. Note, however, that it has spent from $4 to $5 million over the past three years in Sedona trying to fix its public relations nightmare with that community. It has reopened the Sedona Center with a culinary institute that replaces the internationally recognized film school it shut down when it was contemplating selling the Center.

While there have been some changes to the 2013 $103.5 million capital development plan, the changes have not affected the flow of property tax revenue coming to the College that the administration uses for these projects. The changes have had little affect on West County development other than reducing the huge size of potential construction at the Prescott Valley Allied Health/JTED facility.

Recall that the College Administration has increased tuition every year in some form and the property tax rate was raised by the District Governing Board in six of the last twelve years to accumulate the cash to support the building projects.  In addition, the College has been over budgeting so that annually excess unspent general fund revenue is transferred into the capital building fund accounts.  Finally, recall that under the Administration’s revenue budgeting scheme, its expenditure plan allows it to spend from $6 to $8 million each year of primary property tax revenue on capital projects. 

What most County citizens don’t know is that the College administration does not need to justify to County voters or seek their approval for the massive construction/renovation projects it is using their primary property tax revenue to pay for.  In the distant past, the College had to seek General Obligation Bond approval from voters before embarking on capital projects. When seeking the bonds, the Administration had to  justify the expenditure of the millions of dollars and imposition of a secondary property tax to pay for them. Because of the budgetary scheme the Administration created,  that kind of accountability to voters no longer exists. (All the Administration needs is to persuade the highly political Governing Board three west county representatives to vote for the annual budget and the  spending spree continues. This group has  approved every request from the College since at least 2012.) 

Below are photos of some of the current construction/renovation involving buildings #1 & 15 and a sketch of a new atrium under construction on the Prescott Campus. They appear in the September Board meeting Agenda. Estimates are the College is spending from $5 to $6 million alone on these projects.  

$4 Million dollar renovation project will contain space for both music and arts programs; Building #1 addition moving along

Construction is moving ahead smoothly on renovating   #15 on the Prescott campus and construction the addition to building #1. Renovation  is currently estimated to cost a little over $4 million for building #15. (Earlier budgets put the figure at $5 million) The College hopes to complete construction by January 2018. The cost of the completed building #1 project is unclear.

In the final Master plan, there was a recommendation that Building #15 be renovated for additional rehearsal space and for additional storage space for the music program. You may click here to read the updated master plan. 

The Master plan states that “The music program at Yavapai College continues to grow and be a source of pride for the campus with its focus on the arts. The existing facility contains only one large rehearsal space, which is shared between both instrumental and vocal disciplines. This results in the search for rehearsal space, which often extends to the community room, making it unavailable for the community at large as was originally intended. The Campus Master Plan recommends the addition of a proper rehearsal space, with attention to the acoustical requirements needed for such a space.”

The Master plan goes on to state that “because Building 15 is shared with some visual arts programs, storage is  also an identified need for the two programs. Land exists immediately adjacent to the existing Building 15 making this the ideal location for expansion.” It also states that “The housing would be placed adjacent to the existing housing and in close proximity to the food service in Building 3. An extension of the green space network on camps will further tie the new halls to the remainder of campus.” 

The project is a part of the renovation and improvements program that was approved in December 2013 as a part of the $103,500,000 ten-year development plan. Below are drawings submitted to the Governing Board explaining the project.  

Administration continues spending millions on buildings, parking lots, etc. on Prescott Campus (and elsewhere)

The College Administration spends from $6 million to $8 million dollars a year on various capital projects. All of the revenue comes from primary property taxes and student tuition. Compared to other educational institutions in Arizona, it is awash with revenue.  

For example, the District Governing Board was provided the following capital construction plan for the summer, 2017  at its April 7, 2017  meeting.  It is impressive and this list  is just for one campus.

The sketch was provided to the Governing Board in its agenda by McCarthy Smith Group JJR.