Copyright Robert E. Oliphant
The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board is receiving significant opposition from Yavapai County residents regarding the proposed 3.4% tax rate increase. The Board will vote on the proposed tax rate increase during its public tax hearing on Tuesday, May 21, at 1:00 p.m. at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus. Here are a few samples from the many emails being sent to the Board of what opponents of the tax increase are saying:
“We are retired couple living on a fixed income yet scramble to find the funds to live in today’s economics. We simply cannot afford any tax increases. . . . How can you possibly think we can survive?”
“With the rise in inflation our monthly expenses have almost doubled. However, as retirees on a pension, our income has remained the same. Although we support education, this proposed increase for a land grab, will not directly impact education.”
“While I think it’s honorable that you want to provide affordable housing to students and faculty and give faculty raises, why don’t you raise the tuition at the college so the people who actually use the college pay for their expenses? That’s what I did when I went to college. I paid tuition, room and board which paid the college’s expenses to provide those services to me. Why burden retired citizens? This has got to stop now.”
“This tax is a financial burden on me and my husband. We are retired and on a limited income.”
“This tax is a pocketbook issue for hundreds of our residents in Yavapai County. If anything, given rising housing costs, surging inflation and recessionary fears, this proposed tax does not help build a partnership with Yavapai College.”
“I am concerned that this tax increase which taxpayers don’t get to vote on will kill the tax increase likely being proposed for the City of Prescott for fire and police likely to be on the November ballot. These increases surpass current inflation and their regularity has to change. I think increase should also align with student growth. I don’t believe the growth has justified the increased.”
“The college cannot continue to pass these increases on to the property owners. Cutting the ADMINISTRATION and their salaries would be important to consider.”
“I feel strongly that purchasing the Prescott Pines Camp is a “luxury” instead of a requirement for the college.”
So far, the Blog has found only one vocal supporter of the proposed tax rate increase. That person wrote, in part that: “I am 100% in support of the moves Yavapai College is making to better support their students, the education being provided, and the goal of helping with our dire housing situation. The community members at large that are ranting about the taxes are the ones that live comfortably and have zero concern for their own housing needs and really demonstrate a cold hearted attitude to the youth and educators in our community.”
The hearings and meeting are scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. Residents may address the Board at the public hearings and the hearings will be live-streamedThe Yavapai Community College District Governing Board will hold a (1) Truth In Taxation Public Hearing, (2) a Truth In Taxation Public Special hearing, and (3) a Budget Public Hearing, Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus. A business meeting will follow the Budget Public Hearing.
The event is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. The budget hearing and business meeting may extend the event to around 4:00 p.m. It will be held at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus.
The public may address the Governing Board at the public hearings for an anticipated three minutes. (You can register at the door to speak.)
Under Arizona law, a citizen has a right to attend, listen, tape record, or videotape all of these meetings. The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the Call to the Public at the beginning of a meeting if the call is on the agenda. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.
You may access the agenda for this meeting at the District Governing Board’s website when it is eventually posted. (It is normally sent to the Governing Board by Friday prior to a meeting but is usually withheld from public posting on the Governing Board’s website until the day before the meeting.)
It is anticipated the some of the items to be discussed and possibly approved at the hearings are a County property tax increase and issuance of a $16 million dollar revenue bond.
Editor: Robert E. Oliphant
Yavapai Community College is seeking significant funding from new sources to successfully complete its extensive capital expenditure plan on the west side of Yavapai County. While estimates vary, the College may need as much as $60 million to complete three major capital projects.
To secure funding for the projects, the College plans to propose several financial strategies at the May public Taxation hearing. These include:
At a meeting on April 21, 2023, the District Governing Board revised its cash reserve policy, which will make about $2 million available annually.
The funds raised will support three key initiatives:
The decisions on the proposed tax increase and bond issuance will be made at the public hearing scheduled for May 21, 2024, at the Rock House.
To read the posted proposed budget for 2025, please click here.
Yavapai Community College announced at its April 23 District Governing Board meeting that it is currently installing infrastructure for at least 30 units at the College’s Chino Valley Center. These units could accommodate recreational vehicles, small homes, or both. Dr. Clint Ewell mentioned during his presentation, in response to Board questions, that the infrastructure will connect to the Chino Valley sewer system. This eliminates the need for a separate septic system like the one at the Verde Campus in Clarkdale.
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(Table below — presented to Board by College — shows projects approved in concept for the Verde Campus by the District Governing Board in November 2022 but now discarded.)
The Yavapai Community College Governing Board approved at its April 23 meeting locating a prefabricated 12 bedroom, four bath, two kitchen apartment on the Verde Valley Campus. The College said this structure was intended to meet the housing needs of students, staff, and faculty.
The construction process involves building the apartment off-site and then transporting it in sections to the campus for reassembly. The estimated size of the structure is approximately 3,000 square feet, with an anticipated cost of $200 per square foot for purchase and installation. The total cost is estimated to be about $600,000.
The 12 bedroom apartment house represents a major departure from the previously proposed $9.25 million student housing project on the Verde Valley Campus. The housing project was greenlit in concept by the District Governing Board back in November 2022.
In addition to terminating the $9.25 million student housing project for the Verde Valley Campus, the College has also dumped the once formally approved $8.04 million Craft Brewing and Distilling program and the $608,000 Commercial Driving program. (All listed in approved in concept projects shown in the above table produced by the Community College.) It is suspected that the projects were discarded because of the need for a huge influx of cash to support the many new and expensive projects approved for expansion on the College’s west side of Yavapai County.
(Diagram shown to Governing Board at April 21, 2024 meeting.)
You may view a video clip explanation by Dr. Clint Ewell of the purchase of the prefabricated apartment at the April 21 Governing Board meeting by clicking here.
Over the past decade or more, a recurring saga has unfolded within the Yavapai Community College Governing Board where four out of five Sedona/Verde Valley District three Governing Board representatives found themselves locked in a battle of wills with the Community College leadership over obtaining information needed to carry out their responsibilities.
District 3 Governing Board Representative Toby Payne
The saga reached a crescendo when former representative Mr. Paul Chevalier had to wield Arizona’s Freedom of Information Act like a sword to pry open the vault of information concerning a staggering $10 million once earmarked for a teaching brewery in the Third District. (The brewery project was later withdrawn by the College from consideration.)
Fast forward to today, and Mr. Tobey Payne, who took over for Mr. Chevalier, finds himself traversing the same treacherous terrain, compelled to employ the same legal tool to unravel the mystery behind the potential expenditure of anywhere from half a million to a cool million on 3D concrete home printers.
Here’s how Mr. Payne articulated in a letter his exasperation at the abysmal treatment he received from the Community College when he dared to seek clarity about the 3D printer project:
Dear Editor,
As the District 3 Yavapai College Governing Board member at Yavapai College, I am deeply concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability regarding the expenditure of taxpayer funds, particularly in the context of potential investments in educational technology.
Recently, I found myself facing numerous roadblocks when attempting to obtain crucial information about the efficacy of the Community College’s spending on 3D concrete printers. Despite my fiduciary duty to the taxpayers of Yavapai County, my inquiries were met with resistance and dismissal from both President Dr. Lisa Rhine and Board Chair Deb McCasland.
My initial request to ascertain how many students had participated in training courses associated with the current half-million-dollar printers over the past three years was rejected outright. Subsequent attempts to understand the rationale behind an additional proposed $600,000 investment in another printer were similarly rebuffed.
Rather than engaging in constructive dialogue about the college’s strategic direction and the prudent use of resources, I received dismissive responses questioning the relevance of such information in my role as a board member. This lack of transparency and accountability is unacceptable, particularly when significant taxpayer funds are at stake. I had to resort to Freedom of Information Act requests in order to get the information I was requesting.
I firmly believe that as elected representatives entrusted with overseeing the college, board members have a responsibility to ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of students and taxpayers alike. This includes conducting thorough evaluations of proposed expenditures and assessing their impact on educational outcomes.
It turns out that Yavapai College has spent over $500,000 in 3 years for equipment for under 35 students to take the 3/D Home Building Course and now wishes to spend $600,000 more. CTEC is an exemplary program which I fully support. I question spending over a million dollars which serves so few students.
Despite facing resistance at every turn, I remain committed to fulfilling my fiduciary duty and advocating for transparency and accountability at Yavapai College. Taxpayers deserve nothing less than full transparency and informed decision-making from their educational institutions.
Sincerely, Toby Payne
District 3 Yavapai College Board Member