Clandestino
08-16-2005, 02:51 PM
I will vote fuck no...
ACCD takes another stab at bond vote
Web Posted: 08/16/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Karen Adler
San Antonio Express-News
Six months after Bexar County voters shot down the Alamo Community College District's $450 million bond issue, another bond is placed back on the ballot, but this time with the backing of a broad base of community groups and leaders.
At a special meeting Monday night, the ACCD board of trustees unanimously voted to call for another $450 million bond election to fund expansions and renovations at Northwest Vista, Palo Alto, St. Philip's and San Antonio colleges. Funding also would establish Northeast College, the district's fifth campus near Live Oak.
The election will be held Nov. 8.
"It's like a cloud's been lifted," board Chairman Charlie Conner said. "We have an opportunity to do the things we're supposed to do, which is educate the community."
The new bond has one major difference from the one voters rejected in February: The $100 million earmarked for a nursing and allied health campus in the South Texas Medical Center is gone.
In the old bond, this plan was the source of the most vocal opposition, because it would have moved nursing and allied health programs from St. Philip's and SAC, both in the inner city, to the Northwest Side.
The plan reignited tensions over the community's commitment to its less prosperous residents in the inner city and South Side.
In the revamped bond, the $100 million has been distributed among all the colleges to expand nursing and allied health programs at their current locations. St. Philip's and SAC would get the bulk of the funding.
The new proposal has a unanimous stamp of approval from a 27-member citizen committee that spent seven weeks debating and analyzing demographics and data.
The racially and geographically diverse committee included members who campaigned against the old bond.
The blanket of negativity that smothered the old bond dissipated Monday night as those who had been in the forefront of the opposition pledged their support for the new bond.
"One team, one goal. Let's pass the bond," said the Rev. Thurman Walker, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church and chairman of the Community of Churches for Social Action.
Perhaps the dissension over the previous bond was blessing in disguise, Walker said, because now the community will be unified.
"I'm ready to get out there and hit the ground running," said Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, one of several elected leaders who objected to the nursing and allied health programs being transplanted to the medical center.
"I'm so excited to be able to combine forces. ..." ACCD trustee Jennifer Ramos said. "I am 100 percent behind this package and ready to go forward and push for passage of this bond."
While inner city advocates appear placated by the new bond proposal, ACCD still will have to contend with voters who said no to the old bond because they don't want higher taxes.
If the bond issue is approved, ACCD's tax rate would rise about 3 cents to 13.7 cents per $100 of property value. The taxes for the owner of a $100,000 home would rise about $30, to about $137 a year. Property owners 65 and older or disabled would not be affected by the tax increase.
"It's a small price to pay for bringing San Antonio to where it needs to be," said Weston Martinez, a member of the citizen committee.
ACCD officials say funding for construction is critical for the city's work force, economy and health care. Enrollment at ACCD is 52,781 and is expected to rise to more than 68,000 in five years.
ACCD last passed a bond issue in 1987. Unlike public four-year universities, community college districts do not receive state tax dollars for construction projects.
Those who attended Monday's meeting reveled in the good will, but trustee Denver McClendon reminded them there still is work to be done. The voters have the final say.
"We are sitting here congratulating ourselves, but the battle is just starting," he said.
Details of the new bond proposal are available online at www.ceasefire.org. Click on "ACCD Bond," then "Final Report."
The ACCD board will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at the Killen Community Education & Service Center, 201 W. Sheridan, near downtown.
ACCD takes another stab at bond vote
Web Posted: 08/16/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Karen Adler
San Antonio Express-News
Six months after Bexar County voters shot down the Alamo Community College District's $450 million bond issue, another bond is placed back on the ballot, but this time with the backing of a broad base of community groups and leaders.
At a special meeting Monday night, the ACCD board of trustees unanimously voted to call for another $450 million bond election to fund expansions and renovations at Northwest Vista, Palo Alto, St. Philip's and San Antonio colleges. Funding also would establish Northeast College, the district's fifth campus near Live Oak.
The election will be held Nov. 8.
"It's like a cloud's been lifted," board Chairman Charlie Conner said. "We have an opportunity to do the things we're supposed to do, which is educate the community."
The new bond has one major difference from the one voters rejected in February: The $100 million earmarked for a nursing and allied health campus in the South Texas Medical Center is gone.
In the old bond, this plan was the source of the most vocal opposition, because it would have moved nursing and allied health programs from St. Philip's and SAC, both in the inner city, to the Northwest Side.
The plan reignited tensions over the community's commitment to its less prosperous residents in the inner city and South Side.
In the revamped bond, the $100 million has been distributed among all the colleges to expand nursing and allied health programs at their current locations. St. Philip's and SAC would get the bulk of the funding.
The new proposal has a unanimous stamp of approval from a 27-member citizen committee that spent seven weeks debating and analyzing demographics and data.
The racially and geographically diverse committee included members who campaigned against the old bond.
The blanket of negativity that smothered the old bond dissipated Monday night as those who had been in the forefront of the opposition pledged their support for the new bond.
"One team, one goal. Let's pass the bond," said the Rev. Thurman Walker, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church and chairman of the Community of Churches for Social Action.
Perhaps the dissension over the previous bond was blessing in disguise, Walker said, because now the community will be unified.
"I'm ready to get out there and hit the ground running," said Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, one of several elected leaders who objected to the nursing and allied health programs being transplanted to the medical center.
"I'm so excited to be able to combine forces. ..." ACCD trustee Jennifer Ramos said. "I am 100 percent behind this package and ready to go forward and push for passage of this bond."
While inner city advocates appear placated by the new bond proposal, ACCD still will have to contend with voters who said no to the old bond because they don't want higher taxes.
If the bond issue is approved, ACCD's tax rate would rise about 3 cents to 13.7 cents per $100 of property value. The taxes for the owner of a $100,000 home would rise about $30, to about $137 a year. Property owners 65 and older or disabled would not be affected by the tax increase.
"It's a small price to pay for bringing San Antonio to where it needs to be," said Weston Martinez, a member of the citizen committee.
ACCD officials say funding for construction is critical for the city's work force, economy and health care. Enrollment at ACCD is 52,781 and is expected to rise to more than 68,000 in five years.
ACCD last passed a bond issue in 1987. Unlike public four-year universities, community college districts do not receive state tax dollars for construction projects.
Those who attended Monday's meeting reveled in the good will, but trustee Denver McClendon reminded them there still is work to be done. The voters have the final say.
"We are sitting here congratulating ourselves, but the battle is just starting," he said.
Details of the new bond proposal are available online at www.ceasefire.org. Click on "ACCD Bond," then "Final Report."
The ACCD board will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. today at the Killen Community Education & Service Center, 201 W. Sheridan, near downtown.