Facts about the
Columbia Gorge Community College
Bond Measure 33-43
Measure 33-43?
Q Why is Columbia Gorge Community College proposing Bond
The college board of directors is proposing the bond measure so the college can continue to provide education and job training for Gorge residents. Columbia Gorge Community College is the only LOCAL
resource for job training, college transfer, adult basic education for Gorge residents. It cannot provide training for today’s jobs in nursing, health care and other technical fields without building new classrooms and labs. It cannot adequately meet the needs of Hood River residents and high school students by continuing to offer classes in temporary, rented facilities.
The campus buildings in The Dalles date back to the 1920s. Three of the buildings are not safe for students or staff to occupy and must be removed. The other two buildings are in need of serious renovation to provide instruction with today’s technology. The board is asking district residents to consider the bond measure as a way to preserve the college’s current level of services and offerings.
Q Why can’t the College do this with the money it already has?
Most of the CGCC budget is used for educational purposes – for instructors, books, and support staff. The college gets its budget from the state general fund, local property taxes and from student tuition. The state does not provide any special funding to community colleges for building construction, equipment, maintenance or repair. The college currently uses about 10 percent of its budget for maintenance, equipment and repair of facilities. But its instructional budget is already stretched to the limit to provide classes. The college could not continue to teach the students it enrolls if it had to take more money away from instruction for buildings and equipment. There are no other ways the college can fund building projects except through a bond measure.
Q Can’t the College get federal or state funds to fix the old buildings?
Actually, if the bond measure is approved, the college can qualify for some federal matching funds, and may be able to use state funds that the Legislature is considering for community college construction. But without a local match, there are no federal or state funds available.
Q How would the money be used?
The total of the bond measure will not be more than $18.5 million. Of that amount, 22 percent would be used for the new nursing and health sciences building in The Dalles; 24 percent would be used for additional classrooms, labs and instructional support space; 23 percent would go to repair and renovate existing buildings and grounds and to remove three hazardous buildings; 31 percent would be used to purchase land and build a new college center in Hood River.
Q What specifically would the bond provide the community?
The bond measure would provide $18.5 million in funding to build additional classrooms and labs, upgrade technology and make renovations to existing buildings. Projects include: ● The bond will help pay for a larger, up-to-date nursing and health science training facility so that the college can educate more people to work in our local hospitals. ● The bond will fund much-needed technology, classroom and library improvements so that students train on modern equipment for good jobs in the community. In recent years, the main campus has been stretched to the limit. Older buildings on the campus have deteriorated to a point of being hazardous. The bond will make the main campus safe. ● The bond will provide funds to purchase a building in Hood River for higher education, adult basic education, job training and advanced placement courses for high school students. ● The bond would also give the college resources to upgrade the technology used in classrooms and labs and make repairs to improve the safety and extend the life of existing buildings.
Q What will happen if the bond measure doesn’t pass?
The college will have to turn students away if the measure does not pass. The three hazardous buildings MUST be removed, and if the college does not have funds from the bond to make the campus safe, dollars intended for the classroom will have to be used for this purpose instead. And, every year the college delays building will only cost more in the future.