Retired school superintendent wants taxes paid for Community College in Verde Valley to remain there
Retired Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District superintendent, Mrs. Julie Larson, expressed the views of most residents in the Verde Valley in an editorial in the May 27 Verde Independent. She stated she opposed the 2% property tax increase that will be voted on June 9 by the Yavapai College District Governing Board and wanted property taxes paid by Valley residents to remain in the Valley.
Larson wrote: “Sadly, the direction Yavapai College has taken in recent years has caused me to agree with a growing number of our community members that it is now time to take control over how our property taxes are utilized.”
She continued: “Yavapai College is not held to the same financial restrictions that our local schools experience. The governing board of the college can simply vote to increase property taxes rather going to the voters for approval. Against the recommendation of the Verde Valley Advisory Committee, it now appears that the college board will follow administration’s recommendation to increase the property taxes by 2 percent. This is the sixth time in the last 10 years that property taxes for the community college have been increased. It also comes on the heels of a 4-percent tuition hike approved in February.”
Mrs. Larson’s complete editorial in the Verde Independent can be found by clicking here.